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1. What is an SSO?

SSO stands for Sanitary Sewer Overflow. An SSO occurs when raw sewage overflows or leaks from a sewer pipe before it has had a chance to be treated at a wastewater treatment facility. The overflow can occur at a pump station, a maintenance hole, broken pipe, or clean out. For more information, contact us at 225-389-4865.

2. Are Sanitary Sewer Overflows harmful?

Direct contact with untreated sewage is definitely harmful, as human and animal wastes contain bacteria and other disease-causing pathogens. When untreated sewage flows into local waterways, it degrades the quality of the water, harms aquatic life and requires more expensive treatment to discharge an acceptable quality of effluent into local waterways. For more information, contact us at 225-389-4865.

3. How is the City-Parish working to eliminate Sanitary Sewer Overflow?

Through an extensive rehabilitation of the sewer system; the City-Parish is in the process of repairing or replacing broken pipes and other drainage structures. In addition, improvements are being made at treatment plants to ensure that they have the capacity to receive and treat all of the wastewater that flows into them. For more information, contact us at 225-389-4865.

4. What do I do if I see a sewer overflow?

Immediately contact the City-Parish by calling 311. Department of Environmental Services staff will be deployed to investigate, clean, take samples, and work with the state’s Department of Environmental Quality to report and monitor the spill.