Combined Sewer Overflow

Combined Sewer System & Combined Sewer Overflow

Combined sewer systems (CSS) are sewer systems that are designed to collect storm water runoff, domestic sewage, and industrial wastewater in the same pipe and bring it to the publicly owned treatment works (POTW) facilities.

During rain events, when storm water enters the sewers, the capacity of the sewer system may be exceeded and the excess water will be discharged directly to a water body (rivers, streams, estuaries, and coastal waters). A combined sewer overflow (CSO) is the discharge from a combined sewer system that is caused by snow melt or storm water runoff. The untreated water may contain untreated sewage that may impact human health.

Combined Sewer Overflow Discharge Notification System

The Albany Pool Communities have jointly developed this web-based information service that provides easy access to alerts for potential for CSO activity in the Capital region. Visit the system website. Note: The Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Notification System currently only supports Microsoft Internet Browser (Internet Explorer).