The Systems Collection Department is responsible for maintaining the District’s sewer lines, which flow 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The District has a Sanitary Sewer Management Plan, which is a mandated plan to minimize sanitary sewer overflows.  Highly specialized equipment is necessary to meet strict regulatory requirements to protect the environment and public health. Equipment used includes combination trucks, which utilize high pressure water to flush and clean the sewer lines and a vacuum to remove debris (photo on right).  The truck contains different water jet nozzles and specialty attachments that remove blockages, such as tree roots or sand.

A closed-circuit television van, which utilizes a robotic camera on wheels, is also used for inspecting and evaluating the condition of the District's sewer lines. The camera is tethered to the van via a cable and is operated using a remote control device (photo below). Using this equipment reduces the safety risk associated with workers previously having to enter the manhole to inspect the sewer lines.

The Collections Department also monitors carbon filters and odor injection sites located throughout the District that help minimize odors generated from normal sewer flow. In case of a sewer blockage or spill, the department responds swiftly to get to the cause of the blockage while focusing on restoring service to customers as quickly as possible. You can help this department out by learning what not to flush down the drain to keep the sewer lines clean.  

While our crews work hard to keep the sewer mains clean, customers must maintain their own sewer lines.  Many customers do not realize that they own the sewer lateral that connects their property to Vallecitos' sewer system. A sewer lateral is the pipe that drains the sinks, showers, and toilets from your home or building to Vallecitos' main sewer line. It is the property owners responsibility for the operation, maintenance, and repair of their property’s sewer lateral from the home or building and including the point of connection to the Vallecitos Water District’s sewer main line. Learn more about sewer laterals...

Learn what to do in a sewer emergency...

Smoke Testing 

Periodically, the District performs smoke testing to find openings where rainwater can enter our sewer system instead of flowing onto the landscape or into the storm drain. During a smoke test, operators use non-toxic smoke and high-capacity blowers to blow smoke through the sanitary sewer lines to locate cracks or other openings where rainwater could enter the sewer system. By minimizing the amount of rainwater that can seep into our system, this helps prevent sewer spills during rain events and helps the District's Meadowlark Water Reclamation Facility operate at peak efficiency. 

Note: Smoke testing is performed to ensure the integrity of the District's sewer system. The intent is not to test the private system, though deficiencies can sometimes be revealed to the benefit of the customer.  Learn more about smoke testing... 

Rainy Day Maintenance

Wet weather keeps our Collections Department on their toes as rain water can find its way into our sewer lines. Watch this video below to see what our crews do during rainy weather:    

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