Services

Public Sewer Information
Your public sewer system covering the Coplay-Whitehall area serves over 13,500 properties by collecting wastewater and conveying it to the Allentown treatment plant, utilizing a network of approximately 120 miles of line, 2,500 manholes and one major pumping facility. Continuing installation of new software and technology is utilized to maintain the authority's excellent response record to customer problems. Ten (10) full time employees and a fleet of seven (7) vehicles (jet, TV, and utility trucks) currently manage this service.


Keeping Costs Down
In addition to debt service, normal operating and maintenance costs, the Authority is responsible for the cost of treatment, which includes clear water. Ultimately, all the water travels to the Treatment Plant. We make every effort to keep the mains, manholes, etc., watertight, but we need the assistance of each customer to help prevent inflow and infiltration of storm and ground water into the system.

Since we collectively fund for every gallon of water that passes through the treatment plant, it makes sense to keep the system "tight" so that storm or ground water does permeate into the system during periods of heavy rain.

CWSA utilizes a state-of-the-art television inspection system, reviewing thirty miles of line per year to assure maintenance of an exemplary "tight" system.


What Can You Do To Help Keep Our System Operating Properly?
Customers can play a major role in keeping treatment costs and operational issues at a minimum by following a few simple guidelines:

• Make sure rainwater, downspouts, basement drains and sump pump discharges are not connected or piped into the sanitary sewer. Sump pump discharges should be directed outside into the yard.
  
  
• Make sure that the sewer vent and cleanouts in your yard do not allow rainwater, etc. to flow into the sewer when the yard floods. If this is a problem, raising the vent line a few inches or repairing/replacing the cleanout cap can solve the problem.
  
  
• Never put grease, oil, eggshells, coffee grounds, etc. down the drain. Avoid flushing disposable diapers, wipes, towels, shop rags, industrial rags, cleaning wipes, and feminine hygiene products into the system. These items can build up and clog your house piping and possibly the main in the street as well, creating major problems.
  
  
• Never put flammable materials (gasoline, solvents, etc.) into the system as these can cause dangerous buildups of explosive vapors, which can create public safety hazard to others, and persons working on the system.
  
  
• Avoid planting trees directly over sewer laterals or mains. Roots sense the moisture created by your lateral and advance toward this moist ground. Roots will invade your sewer lateral causing a blockage necessitating costly repairs.