Sanitary Sewer Systems
Wastewater collection designed to fit your site and utility
Reliable wastewater collection depends on careful sanitary sewer design: gravity mains where grades allow, and pump stations and force mains where they don't. Colman Engineering designs sanitary sewer systems for projects across Virginia, coordinating with local utility providers and their standards. We design collection systems that fit the site and connect cleanly to the larger network.
Benefits
Sanitary Sewer Systems
The right system for your grades
We use gravity flow where the topography allows and design pump stations and force mains where it doesn't. Matching the system to the site keeps it reliable and cost-effective.
Coordinated with your utility
We design to the local provider's standards and coordinate the connection to its system, helping streamline approval and acceptance.
Part of an integrated site design
Sewer design has to work with grading, roads, and other utilities. We coordinate it with the rest of the site so the systems don't conflict underground.
From flows and grades to a connected sewer design
We evaluate projected wastewater flows and site grades to determine the right collection approach: gravity, pumped, or a combination of the two. We design the mains, structures, and any pump stations, coordinating with the local utility's standards and the point of connection. We prepare the plans for required reviews and support the project through approval. The design is coordinated with the rest of your site so the sewer system fits with grading, roads, and other utilities.
Use Cases
Sanitary sewer design is needed whenever your project must collect and convey wastewater.
01
You're connecting to public sewer
Your development needs to tie into the local sewer system. We design the collection system and coordinate the connection.
02
The site's grades are challenging
Gravity flow alone won't reach the connection point. We design pump stations and force mains to make the system work.
03
You're developing a subdivision or commercial site
Your project needs a full wastewater collection system serving multiple lots or buildings. We design it to fit and connect.
Tips and FAQs
Sanitary sewer design is closely governed by the local utility provider's standards and connection requirements, which shape the design and the approvals. Pump stations add cost and long-term maintenance, so we look for gravity solutions where the grades reasonably allow. Because sewer coordinates with so many other site systems, integrating it early avoids conflicts that are expensive to fix during construction.
Gravity or pump station, how do you decide?
Topography largely decides it. Where grades allow wastewater to flow to the connection point, gravity is preferred; where they don't, a pump station and force main make the connection possible.
Do you coordinate with the local utility?
Yes. We design to the provider's standards and coordinate the point of connection and approvals, since their requirements govern the work.
Can you design for a whole subdivision?
Yes. We design collection systems serving multiple lots or buildings, coordinated with the roads, grading, and other utilities.
What if public sewer isn't available?
That changes the approach and may point toward alternative solutions. We can help you evaluate the options based on your site and the local requirements.
