Wastewater
The City collects and conveys household and industrial wastewater through four pump stations and 52 miles of sewer lines. Shelton also operates and maintains its own wastewater treatment plant located at 1700 Fairmount Avenue. The City provides secondary treatment, with an average flow of more than 2.2 million gallons per day. This protects both public health and the envrionment by treating wastewater to high standards and by meeting strict state directed permit limits. The plant, built in 1979, was designed to provide required treatment until the year 2000. The current plant was designed to treat a high-flow of four million gallons per day, and annually averages about 2.2 million gallons daily. During the winter season, daily flow can exceed ten million gallons per day due to infiltration and inflow. Infiltration occurs when groundwater enters the sewer system through cracks, holes, faulty connections or other openings. Inflow occurs when surfcace water, such as stormwater, enters the sewer system through roof downspouts, connections, holes in manhole covers, illegal plumbing connections, or other defects. These situations can overwhelm the wastewater treatment plant. The plant discharges highly treated wastewater, called effluent, into Oakland Bay through an outfall that exends 1,250-feet into the bay. The discharge pipe is 45-feet below main sea level to ensure adequate disposal of the effluent.
Something we do not think about when we pour leftover grease down the drain.....
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