Waste Management

The Mission of Waste Management Services Department (WMSD) is “to properly operate and maintain the collection system infrastructure, transporting and treating wastewater without disruption or overflows, while meeting the needs of Waterloo’s citizens, protecting surface and groundwater resources and complying with all Federal and State regulations.”

Waterloo’s Environmentally Beneficial Infrastructure & Modernization Program

 

Responsible Waste Management
The City of Waterloo Waste Management Services Department is working to control costs, improve service, and reduce environmental impact. Through Waterloo’s Environmentally Beneficial Infrastructure & Modernization Program, the department is reducing the amount of storm water in the sanitary sewer and enabling proper flow to the storm sewer and other diversion methods.  System-wide proactive management practices are preventing costly issues while preparing for growth  &  greater demand.

Master Plan Outline
Waterloo’s Environmentally Beneficial Infrastructure & Modernization Program Master Plan describes remedial measures necessary to address the sewer system's problems with capacity, inflow and infiltration, with the goal of eliminating sanitary sewer overflows and bypasses.

  • Comprehensive assessments of the capacity and condition of its wastewater treatment facility and sewer system which includes approximately 400 miles of sanitary sewer lines and 300 miles of storm sewer lines
 
  • Identify compromised pipes
  • Prioritize high problem areas
  • Replace or line pipes to prevent leaks
  • Rehabilitate or replace aging lift stations
  • Re-route storm intakes to appropriate storm sewer
  • Footing drain removal program

 

  • Divert storm water and run off
  • Environmentally Beneficial Projects:
    rain gardens & permeable pavers
  • Sanitary sewer overflow response plan
  • Comprehensive management, operations and
    maintenance program

Many of these projects have been underway since 2013 – some are near completion, while others will remain part of the City Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) through 2032.

Waterloo Waste Management Services

Addresses Critical Issues

Often water that does not require treatment finds its way into the sanitary sewer system. This water may travel through foundation footing drains improperly connected to the sanitary sewer instead of the storm sewers or through leaky storm sewer pipes allowing it to flow into sanitary sewers. This causes higher treatment and discharge volumes at the treatment plant and higher frequency of system failures. Unnecessary treatment creates higher treatment and maintenance costs, service disruption, and negative impact on homes and the environment.  Failure to address this issue results in increase fines and other costs often passed on to consumers through rate increases.

Sound Solutions Produce Results 2013-Present

Footing Drain Removal Program
  • 2,384 diverted Footing Drains removed over 250 million gallons of storm water from unnecessary treatment.
  • Reduced operating costs by $40,000.
  • Eliminated majority of sewer overflows and basement backups in the targeted areas.
Storm Sewer Disconnect
  • Continued elimination of storm sewer connections to the sanitary sewer system. By disconnecting these Storm Sewer to Sanitary Sewer Connections the city reduces the amount of storm sewer water being sent to the Wastewater Treatment Plant for treatment and increasing the capacity of the sanitary sewer pipe. 
Commercial Fats Oil and Grease (FOG) removal program
  • An average of 120,000 pounds  of grease removed per month, doubling previous collections resulting in a reduction of maintenance and sewer backups.
  • Permeable /Pervious Pavers Project
  • The city has implemented our first permeable/pervious pavement project
    filtering and reducing amount of rain water runoff entering the downtown storm sewer system.
CIPP (Cured in Place Pipe)  Lining Pipes and Manhole Rehab                                                     
  • Annually the City of Waterloo enters into a contract for a targeted segment for CIPP.  Inspections are made using specialized television equipment. Compromised pipe and pipe in poor condition receive: cleaning, root removal; identify active laterals; CIPP lining; re-televise pipe; cut out laterals; grout laterals.

Collection System Improvements
  • Often CIPP Pipe Rehabilitation isn’t a viable alternative. If a targeted area in the City shows significant growth and development this could cause issues with Hydraulic restraints and new sewer lines would need to be constructed. An example of this would be Highway 63 South Sewer Upgrade Phase 1. With this project the City upgraded the size of the Sanitary Sewer from a 21” inch diameter pipe to a 48” inch diameter pipe. This assures continued service for our residents and sets the stage for continued economic development in this targeted area.
  • Replacing/Rehabilitating Sanitary Lift Stations has been a priority of the City of Waterloo-Waste Management Services. Waterloo continues to follow its Sanitary Sewer Master Plan to replace or rehabilitate aging lift stations. A good example of this would be the Dry Run Creek Force Main project located on Kimball Ave and East San Marnan Dr. Replacing this lift station involved constructing a new lift station, re-routing sanitary sewer wastewater conveyance to circumvent the center of town and discharge directly to a larger lift station. This re-routing of sewage conveyance significantly assisted with hydraulic constraints in targeted areas of the City.

Additional Improvements
  • Incorporate sanitary sewer maps into GIS data base.
  • 2024 upgrade cleaning and televising equipment, vehicles and software.
  • Implementation of a rainfall and flow monitoring program.
  • Updates to SSO Reporting.
  • Currently in Demonstration Period with EPA to end Consent Decree-Pending No SSO’s due to Hydraulic Capacity. Demonstration Period Ends August 7th 2024

  Consent decree with the United States Department of Justice Environmental Protection Agency and State of Iowa (pdf)


Click Here For more information regarding the Fats Oil Grease (FOG)Program

Contact Information

Waste Management Services
3505 Easton Ave.
Waterloo, IA 50702
Phone: (319) 291-4553 (Sewer & Waste Water)
Fax: (319) 291-4523
Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:00am-4:00pm