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Department Links: Water 2021 CCR ReportWastewater
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Water System Our system consists of 5 deep water wells and the Sunbeam springs with the capability of supplying a total of approximately 6,675 gallons per minute. We have 2 systems, one which is the high side and the other is the normal side. We have 1 metal storage tank that holds 1,000,000 gals. We operate and maintain a booster station located at the end of Polk St. which helps increase and maintain the pressure on the high side of town. There is approximately 32.5 miles of water lines running throughout the city and some outside of city limits that range in size from 4” to 12”. At the present time we do not chlorinate any of our water. We regularly test and monitor your water to ensure that the quality of water we are delivering to you is the best and safest it can be. Wastewater Our wastewater first starts out with our collection system. This is what transports what comes from your drains to the Treatment plant. The collection system consists of roughly 26 miles of gravity sewer lines; we also operate and maintain 5 lift stations that pump wastewater up to where gravity sewer lines can take over. Once the wastewater reaches the treatment plant, it goes through a series of treatments before being discharged to the Snake River. The City of American Falls owns and operates a municipal treatment facility that has a capacity of 600,000 gallons a day (416 gallons per minute) and provides secondary treatment and disinfection of domestic and industrial wastes prior to discharge into the Snake River. The objective of treatment is to remove as much of the nutrients (e.g. nitrogen, phosphorus, dissolved organic matter) and solids (e.g. grit, suspended organic matter) as possible. This is accomplished through several steps and takes about 8 hours from the time the wastewater enters the plant until it is discharged into the river. The treatment plant is monitored by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA sets what our discharge limitations are by issuing the City a NPDES Permit (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System). It is imperative that the City meet our permit monthly and submit a Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) every month. The treatment plant performs various tests and samples throughout the plant daily, with these tests we are able to monitor the plant closely and it also helps us to detect any upset the plant may experience. Our goal is to discharge the best quality of water back into the Snake River. Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Is it ok to pour cooking grease/oil down the drain? 1) Even if you use hot water to wash it down, once the water cools down further along in your sewer pipe, that grease will solidify and coat the pipe. This will eventually clog your pipe and possibly cause a back-up into your home. 2) If a lot of grease gets into the sewer system, the lines get restricted causing the wastewater to go septic giving off a rotten-egg odor. It can also dissolve concrete in the system. There is also increased risk of having back-ups into many homes. 3) Once that grease gets to the treatment plant, it is very difficult to treat and ends up causing unwanted problems at the plant. *Please note: all restaurants in the City of American Falls are required to have a grease trap installed and maintained so most of our major source of grease is residential. Please dispose of your grease in the trash. Q2. Can I dump car fluids down the drain or a manhole? Q3. What other kinds of things should not be put down the drain or toilet Q4. Who is responsible for maintenance of the sewer system? Q5. What is that big White truck I see driving around town? Q6. Are there tours of the treatment plant? |
