Inflow and Infiltration
What is Inflow and Infiltration?
Inflow and infiltration or I & I are
terms used to describe the ways that
groundwater and storm water enter into dedicated
wastewater or
sanitary sewer systems. Dedicated wastewater or
sanitary sewers are
pipes located in the street or on easements that are
designed strictly to
transport wastewater from sanitary fixtures inside your
house or place of
business. Sanitary fixtures include toilets, sinks,
bathtubs, showers and
lavatories.
Inflow is storm water that enters
into sanitary sewer systems at points of
direct connection to the systems. Various sources
contribute to the
inflow, including footing/foundation drains, roof drains
or leaders,
downspouts, drains from window wells, outdoor basement
stairwells,
drains from driveways, groundwater/basement sump pumps,
and
even streams.
These sources are typically
improperly or illegally connected to sanitary
sewer systems, via either direct connections or
discharge into sinks or
tubs that are directly connected to the sewer system.
An improper
connection lets water from sources other than sanitary
fixtures and drains to enter the sanitary sewer system.
That water should be entering the storm water sewer
system or allowed to soak into the ground without
entering the sanitary sewer system.
Infiltration
is groundwater that enters sanitary sewer systems
through cracks and/or leaks in the sanitary sewer pipes.
Cracks or leaks in sanitary sewer pipes or manholes may
be caused by age related deterioration, loose joints,
poor design, installation or maintenance errors, damage
or root infiltration.
Groundwater can enter these cracks or
leaks wherever sanitary sewer systems lie beneath water
tables or the soil above the sewer systems becomes
saturated. Often sewer pipes are installed beneath
creeks or streams because they are the lowest point in
the area and it is more expensive to install the pipe
systems beneath a roadway.
These sewer pipes are especially susceptible to infiltration when they crack or break and have been known to drain entire streams into sanitary sewer systems. Average sewer pipes are designed to last about 20-50 years, depending on what type of material is used. Often sanitary sewer system pipes along with the lateral pipes attached to households and businesses have gone much longer without inspection or repair and are likely to be cracked or damaged.
Why is inflow and infiltration a problem?
Sanitary sewer systems are designed to carry wastewater from toilets, dishwashers, sinks, or showers in homes or businesses. Inflow and infiltration add clear water to sewer systems increasing the load on the systems. Clear water belongs in storm water sewers or on the surface of the ground, and not in the sanitary sewers. A storm water sewer is a pipe system designed to carry rainwater away. Storm water sewers are normally much larger than sanitary sewer systems because they are designed to carry much larger amounts of water. Drainage ditches also act the same way in many neighborhoods. When clear water enters sanitary sewer systems, it must be transported and treated like sanitary waste water.
During dry weather the impact of
inflow and infiltration can vary from minimal impact to
a significant portion of the sewer pipe flow. Wet
weather magnifies existing inflow and infiltration
sources. As a rain or snow melt event begins the
inflow and infiltration sources start filling the
sanitary sewer systems with clear water, eventually
filling the sewer systems to capacity. Once the
sanitary sewer systems have reached capacity or becomes
overloaded, wastewater flows at much higher water level
than normal and if sanitary fixtures or drains are below
this overload level, water will flow backward through
the sanitary sewer pipe, flooding basements or
households and causing manholes to pop open releasing
wastewater onto the street.