The need for sanitary sewer overflow safety measures has emerged as a critical issue in communities across the U.S. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) acknowledges that thousands of sanitary sewer overflows occur each year, exposing cleanup crews to significant health hazards.

Along with a growing need to mitigate sanitary sewer overflows, frontline workers need to be prepared.

What is a Sanitary Sewer?

Sanitary sewers transport sewage through underground pipe systems away from residential and commercial buildings. The wastewater typically connects to a municipal sewer system or an on-site, self-contained septic system.

Municipalities establish waste treatment facilities to remove pathogens, chemicals, and other harmful agents before discharging the cleaned water. Effectively transporting sewage materials without incident requires the following.

  • Pipes: Gray water and solids are transported from sinks, toilets, and commercial applications through a series of pipes. A main line usually runs underground to a connection at the street.
  • Main Sewer Lines: A large pipe collects materials from buildings. It all flows seamlessly underground to the treatment facility for processing.
  • Pumps: Although sewer systems largely rely on gravity to move liquids, there are areas where heavy-duty pumps are required to maintain a steady flow.
  • Manholes:Below the iron manhole covers community members see on their streets is a passage that leads down to the sewage. Workers typically climb down rungs of foot and hand holds to fix stoppages and remove any blockages.
  • Treatment Facility: At the treatment facility, harmful bacteria, chemicals, and pathogens are eliminated from the incoming gray water and sludge. Once sanitized, the material can be released into the environment.

It’s important to keep in mind that sanitization systems are more than just a modern convenience. They protect the environment, public health and safety. By that same token, sanitary sewer overflows put communities in harm’s way. The frontline workers tasked with removing sewage blockages and cleaning up the overflows take great personal risks.

What is a Sanitary Sewer Overflow?

A sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) involves the release of untreated materials that pose a public health risk and environmental hazard. Although the contained sewage systems are designed to move pollutants from buildings to treatment facilities without issue, the number of SSOs indicates the U.S. has a significant problem.

The EPA reports that an estimated 23,000 to 75,000 sanitary SSOs occur annually. Adding insult to injury, that figure does not account for the sewage backups and overflows in buildings. These are ways SSOs occur.

  • Pipe Blockages: The build-up of debris, grease, and other materials that cling to pipes impede the free flow of sewage.
  • Line Breaks: Many sewer mains are constructed with concrete that can crack, chip, and deteriorate over time. Broken mains and other pipes are a major contributor to SSOs.
  • Overwhelmed Systems: It’s not uncommon for municipalities to merge storm water drainage systems with their sewage. When the big rains arrive, the volume can outpace a facility’s ability to store and process water.
  • Malfunctions: The commercial pumps and other items used to move sewage flow sometimes fail, causing untreated water to pool and back up.

One of the major problems with SSOs is that many treatment facilities are constructed along America’s rivers and bodies of water. The conventional thinking is that purified water can be safely returned without harming nature.

Unfortunately, when things go sideways, contaminated liquids make their way into otherwise clean rivers, streams, lakes and the ocean. The SSOs reported by the EPA are usually considered direct violations of the Clean Water Act.

Categories of SSOs

While any contaminant cleanup requires the use of specialized tools, personal protective equipment and disposable clothing, the risk associated with an SSO is determined by a variety of factors. These generally include the location of the spill and discharge volume, among others. This is how SSOs are categorized.

  • Category 1: Spills with a volume under 1,000 gallons fall into this category if they make contact with surface water or a storm drainage system. Common causes involve damaged and leaking underground pipes. If left untreated, Category I SSOs can escalate.
  • Category 2: Raw sewage and inadequately treated water spills of 1,000 gallons or more generally fall into this group. Category 2 SSOs generally do not reach surface water. They typically include gray water from residential homes.
  • Category 3: This category is something of a catch-all because it encompasses SSOs from Category 1 and 2.

Although mechanical failures and human error result in SSOs, a combination of unexpectedly heavy rainfalls and inadequate treatment centers are driving reasons for the excessively high number of SSOs in the U.S. As local municipalities expand and modernize their facilities, SSOs can be reduced. In the meantime, organizations would be well served to develop an SSO policy.

Risks Associated with Sanitary Sewage Overflow Cleanups

Untreated and partially treated sewage contains an untold number of bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can negatively affect the health of those who come in contact with it.

Among the more common parasites are worms that can damage human intestines and cause liver ailments. When workers are not properly trained and equipped to deal with sewage and gray water spills, these are health conditions they may suffer.

  • Cholera
  • Diarrhea
  • Dysentery
  • Fevers and Chills
  • Gastroenteritis
  • Hepatitis A and B
  • Infections
  • Leptospirosis
  • Stomach Cramps

 

It’s also important to remember that the discharge of contaminated sewage and gray water negatively impacts the environment and human food supplies. Shellfish beds in areas where SSOs occur pose a health risk, particularly when eaten raw.

Sanitary Sewer Overflow Emergency Cleanup Plan

Cleanup crews face serious and unknown health dangers when they address sewage overflows. Given that ailments such as cholera and dysentery can prove fatal, it’s critical that organizations have an emergency clean-up plan in place that protects employees. These are steps and preventative measures to consider.

PHVAC Emergency Response

Emergency procedures related to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning are essential to expel noxious odors that may be laced with contaminants. Treatment facilities generally possess PHVAC capabilities. However, mobile fans and ventilation equipment may be needed to manage air quality in some locations.

Proper Hygiene Protocols

Cleanup crew members must engage in regular handwashing. This includes scrubbing before and after putting on personal protective equipment, disposable clothing, and accessories. Workers can use hot water and a commercial-grade soap to remove splatter from their hands, arms, and face, which may lead to infection or cross-contamination.

It’s also critical for crew members to never touch their face, eyes, nose, mouth, or other parts of the body, even if they experience an itch. Furthermore, items such as tobacco products, lip balm, and chewing gum create opportunities for fecal matter to enter the mouth.

Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing

Sewage spill cleanup specialists require a designated space to remove street clothes and store them away from any health hazard. It’s also crucial to have a separate area to don and doff PPE and personal protective clothing.

The soiled materials must be disposed of in accordance with OSHA guidelines to prevent cross-contamination and/or spreading contaminants. This is PPE that should be worn when dealing with an SSO:

  • Breathable Masks or Respirators
  • Ear Coverings
  • Goggles and Face Shields