Sewage is the water carried out of your home or business through your washing machine, toilet or drains in your sinks, bath tubs and showers.
The sewage is carried through a complex network of buried pipes and pump stations to the Weaverville Sanitary District Treatment Plant at the end of Mountain View St. There it is cleaned up before being perculated into the ground.
Sewage can get out of the pipes in a number of ways. The most common way is a blockage in a small pipe due to grease or tree roots. Most often it appears around the edge of manhole covers or comes out of a “cleanout” in front of or behind the building.
First, you should avoid contact with the sewage. It may contain contaminants that are harmful to your health. Please keep children and pets away from it as well. To report sewage coming out of the pipes, call the Weaverville Sanitary District at (530) 623-6529. We will check to see if the problem is being caused by our system or by the property owner’s system. If the problem is caused by our system, we will correct it and clean up the spilled sewage.
Sewage can carry disease-causing bacteria and germs. You should be sure to practice good sanitation – thoroughly wash with warm water and soap after coming into contact and prior to eating, smoking, or touching your face. Clothing that has been wet can be washed in the washing machine with normal laundry detergent. You can also wash your shoes with warm water and soap to remove disease-causing bacteria and germs.
According to the Sacramento County Environmental Management Department (EMD), most of these micro-organisms will die within 24 hours of exposure to air. Exposure to sunlight will also kill them very quickly. Any vegetables or fruit that has come into contact with sewage should not be eaten and should be disposed of in the garbage.
As stated before, sewage can carry disease-causing bacteria and you should avoid contact. If sewage entered your home, report the problem as described above by calling (530) 623-6529. We can determine whether the sewage in your house originated within the portion of the system that is part of your home or whether it originated within the WSD’s system. If it originated within our system, we will clean it for you. If the spill did not originate from our system you will be responsible for cleanup. The district can recommend methods of treatment or who to hire for treatment.
If you have further questions regarding the health affects of exposure to sewage, please contact WSD at (530) 623-6529. However, if you are feeling ill, please consult your doctor.