What is the Wastewater Conveyance System?

Anytime water goes down a drain — whether from your sink, shower or toilet — it becomes wastewater (also called sewage). Salem collects and treats wastewater to protect public health and keep our local waterways clean.

Visit the Wastewater Utility page for more details!

Last Updated: 2007

Why update now?

Master planning best practices recommend updating plans every 5 to 10 years, and at least every 20 years. A new plan is essential to address aging infrastructure, growth, and new technologies.

The Good News

• Significant capacity improvements to our wastewater conveyance system have led to a reduction in sanitary sewer overflows caused by capacity limitations.
• New technologies and green infrastructure options are now available that weren’t feasible in 1996.

Challenges

• Inflow and infiltration (I&I) during rainfall events results in up to 5X higher flows than in dry weather
• Aging Infrastructure
• Population growth is straining capacity

Preliminary Updates

Preliminary findings suggest the updated plan may include the following improvements:

• Upgrading undersized trunk lines to accommodate current and future flows, especially in growing neighborhoods.
• Prioritization of critical repair zones, especially in areas with frequent backups or known capacity issues.

What You Can Do

• Keep wipes, fats, oils and grease out of the drain: Pouring them down the sink can cause blockages in your home and the city’s system.
• If you see a sewer backup, call the City’s dispatch number at 503-588-6311.