Rain caused sewer overflow

Approximately 0.52 inch of rainfall in Fairfield Tuesday and Wednesday resulted in about 354 gallons of sanitary sewer overflow from the collection system.

The overflow from one manhole went to Crow Creek.

Fairfield has a serious inflow and infiltration problem. A sanitary sewer overflow is a discharge of wastewater to the environment. Overflows occur when there is too much water for the sewer system to handle, such as during a rapid snowmelt or rainfall.

In Fairfield, sanitary sewer overflows are exacerbated by an aging sewer infrastructure with defects such as broken and cracked pipes and illegal connections including roof drains, sump pumps and footing drains.

Sanitary sewer overflows are not allowed by the city?s National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit, and the city is working to improve the wastewater collection system to prevent overflow events.