Marion County Utilities currently operates 11 wastewater treatment facilities and 34 water treatment plants in various communities around the county. We are working to consolidate some of these facilities in order to eliminate many of the older plants, to provide better service to our existing customers, and to offer service to new communities as Marion County continues to grow.

What is wastewater and how does it get from the customer to the treatment plant?

Wastewater is water that is discarded as useless after being used. Sewage is the correct term for wastewater that is contaminated with human waste, but is often used to mean any waste water. It can include domestic, municipal, or industrial waste, usually disposed of via a pipe or similar structure.

There are two ways to dispose of most wastewater. One is to use an on-site system, more commonly known as a septic system. The second is to send the wastewater into a collection system, which sends the wastewater through a series of pipes to reach the treatment facility. This is commonly known as a gravity feed system, which uses gravity and slopes to propel the wastewater through the pipes. Occasionally, wastewater has to be pumped from a low point to a higher point, so that gravity can continue to do most of the work.

This is done with a Lift Station. This is a pre-cast holding tank, usually 8-10' deep, and 6' wide, with pumps to force the wastewater into a pipe for the uphill journey. This creates a pressurized pipe, which is commonly referred to as a force main. Once the wastewater has reached a higher point, it may be channeled back into another gravity feed system, and continues in this manner, until it reaches the treatment facility.

Upon entering the treatment facility, the wastewater goes through a screen to filter out the larger particulates. It then is processed through an oxidation chamber, passes into a clarification tank, passes over and through many filters designed to remove the smallest particles and microbes. The final step is the chlorine contact chamber. The finished product is water that meets federal and state guidelines for drinking water. This product is reclaimed water, which can be used for irrigation on golf courses, commercial or residential landscape or used to irrigate certain crops such as grass or hay.