One of the most common problems for the Commission's system is the introduction clean water by Infiltration or Inflow (I&I). I&I occurs most often in wet weather due to surface and groundwater entering the sewer collection system. During rainy weather and snow melt in the spring, the flow at the MWRA Clinton Waste Water Treatment Facility (WWTF) can exceed their permitted limit.

A significant portion of the total I&I reaching the wastewater treatment facility comes from the private portion of the collection system. This typical comes from two sources, intentional sources such as sump pumps hooked into house services, and some of it is unintentional such as groundwater leaking into sewer service pipes. Several years ago the Commission completed a study to identify sources of I&I and correct them. As a result of that study all known sources of I&I occurring in the system were corrected. However, those intentional sources on private property were not corrected.

The Commission will soon begin a program in an effort to solve all problem sources of clean water I&I on private property including sump pumps, roof drains, leaking service lines, cellar drains, foundation drains, and yard drains. The Lancaster Sewer District's Rules and Regulations prohibits any source of clean water from being connected to the system. No sump pumps, roof drains, cellar drains, foundation under drains, or any surface water drains are permitted.

This is fairly easy to control with a new building. However, It is must more difficult to detect and enforce in older buildings. Just as the Commission has to upgrade its public sewers, so too the property owners must be in compliance with the rules and regulations. There is no exemptions from compliance, even for a building that has been connected to the sewer for years. This plan is aimed at helping the existing sewer user to reduce I&I as much as possible on private property and to comply with the rules and regulations.

This plan has three parts to it: an education or public awareness program to encourage voluntary cooperation; a compliance and enforcement program for those who can't or won't act voluntarily; and a follow-up program to prevent backsliding.

You can begin right now by doing a quick check of your house plumbing. If you have a sump pump and its connected to your plumbing then you are probably not in compliance. Likewise if your outside downspouts are connected to your house plumbing you are out of compliance. You can get your building up to snuff by identifying these problems and correcting them.

The program is expected to begin in the summer of 2006.