One hundred forty miles of sewer main varying from eight inches to 60 inches in diameter, collect wastewater from approximately 40,000 users and transport it to the BPU's Wastewater Treatment Plant on Quaint Road in Falconer, NY.

By the time your waste reaches this point, it is not recognized as the waste you ground up in your garbage disposal or flushed down your toilet. The action of the waste being washed through the mains, breaks it up into tiny particles which are suspended in the water.

One of two mechanically operated bar screens remove large objects (greater than one-quarter inch) and debris which may plug downstream piping and equipment.

Some of the items recovered from the bar screen are toys - obviously many children's toys, small amounts of money every once in a while and often false teeth. Sometimes we're able to locate lost items, but most times we are not.

Primary clarifiers remove coarse solids by settling and remove oils, grease and floating solids by skimming. Sludge that settles to the bottom is removed and pumped to thickeners for further treatment. A skimming mechanism removes floating material, which is transferred to a container for trucking to the landfill.