As a resident of Miami-Dade County, you play an extremely important part in keeping the County’s sanitary sewer system healthy and stress-free. As a matter of fact, every single resident directly affects the system by what they do or don’t do.

Although they might seem insignificant, there are two main ways in which we cause harm – one is by putting too much inflow into the system and the other is by adding items that clog it.

You may not think about it, but our sewer system is a hidden resource that contributes to your quality of life and to your community’s long-term well-being. It’s there for you every time you empty your kitchen sink, flush a toilet, take a shower or wash a load of laundry.

It’s in everyone’s best interests to help maintain the health of our sanitary sewer system by reducing the amount of chemicals, hazardous substances, grease and food wastes that are deposited into it.

By doing our part, we can all save money, improve our communities and keep our sanitary sewer system in great shape.

The Problems the System Faces 
What is Miami-Dade County doing? 

The Problems the System Faces     

There are two main problems that face Miami-Dade’s sanitary sewer system.

Improper Inflow  
Some people, unaware of the risks involved, open cleanouts and sewer drain covers to deal with localized floods. Not wanting their yards flooded, people actually make the problem worse by taking matters into their own hands.  When you open a cleanout or sewer drain cover, excess water or “inflow” can enter into the system. The system is then stressed and forced to handle something it wasn’t designed for - rainwater. That’s the job of the storm drain system not the sanitary sewer system.

Improper Disposal  
Simply put, the sanitary sewer system gets plugged because of the improper disposal of grease, food scraps, bathroom trash and household solvents.

Fats, Oils and Grease poured down your kitchen drain are the largest cause of backup in the sanitary sewer system. Grease and sewer pipes just don’t mix. Grease is singled out for special attention because of its poor solubility in water. When grease accumulates in the pipes, the result is clogging, which can eventually lead to backups.

The problem doesn’t just take place in our kitchens. Another problem occurs in the bathroom when we treat our toilet as a trash bin. Items like feminine hygiene products, cottons tips, condoms, cigarette butts and excess paper should never be flushed down the toilets. They should be tossed in the trash.

Your attention is also required in the garage. The improper disposal of household hazardous materials such as paints, solvents, cleaners, and motor oil is bad news for our sanitary sewer system.

So as you can see, every resident and business owner plays a crucial role in the health of Miami-Dade County’s sanitary sewer system. If you put waste down the drain in the form of food scraps or grease, if you improperly dispose of your household hazardous waste or open up your cleanouts, you are creating a health risk. It’s as simple as that.

You might think your actions don’t have much of an impact - after all you’re just one person. But, unfortunately, it’s that mentality that leads to bigger problems later on. There are more than two million residents in Miami-Dade County and if only half of them took such actions, the health of our sewer system would be in serious trouble.

top

What is Miami-Dade County doing?   

• Efforts are being made to minimize the number of grease blockages that originate from non-residential sources through a permit program that is administered by the County.
   
• Infiltration/inflow into the sanitary sewer system is being reduced through identification of possible sources and the implementation of necessary repairs countywide.
   
• The Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department provides public information and education in order to minimize sewer backups and overflow problems. And in addition, they perform several different tests to identify damaged pipes. 
  

top