How does water get to your tap? If you live in a city or town, your local utility is likely treating millions of litres of freshwater every day to ensure that you have continuous service – that is, whenever you turn on your tap, there is safe, drinkable water waiting for you.
On its journey from the treatment plant to your home, treated water travels through a network of pipes (or watermains) and pumps. The state of these pipes depends on many factors, including age, material, soil quality, corrosion, and seasonal fluctuations in temperature. There’s a separate network to collect and treat the wastewater that leaves your home, and the situation is similar: All of these systems need regular maintenance, and they’re all at risk of failing.
Urban development puts further strain on water infrastructure. When rain falls, it finds its way back to source waters, such as lakes or streams, or filters directly into the ground. As cities grow, we tend to build or pave over land. Stormwater sewers help prevent rain from collecting and flooding the streets. But if this infrastructure is leaking or broken, stormwater isn’t always treated before it is released into source waters. Furthermore, and especially in cities with older infrastructure, stormwater sewers are often connected to wastewater collection systems. If these systems are overwhelmed during an extreme rainfall, cities have no choice but to send untreated sewage into source waters.
