Seperate sewer systems have two pipes, one to handle wastewater from the showers, sinks and toilets of homes and businesses.

Another pipe transports stormwater from streets, parking lots and rooftops directly to the nearest river or lake every time it rains or the snow melts.

This posses a major water quality challenge since polluted stormwater runoff is the biggest remaining threat to waterways across the country.

95% of our service area consists of seperate sewers that are owned by the communities and drain into MMSD's regional sewers. Combined sewers make up the other 5% of our service area.