
Wastewater
General wastewater treatment began in Laurens around 1958. The current plant located on Commission Drive is capable of treating 4.5 million gallons daily (MGD). The average capacity is 1.5 MGD.
Wastewater Rates
A customer’s wastewater rate is determined by the size and type of service required. We have residential, commercial and industrial wastewater rates. The amount of water you use determines your home's wastewater charge. That's because water coming into your home typically exits through a drain that leads to wastewater.
For all current rates, fees and other charges, please contact a customer service representative at 864.681.4300.
Pretreatment Ordinance
The city of Laurens adopted, by resolution, a revision of its Sewer Use and Pretreatment Ordinance in 2014 which contains modifications to the Pretreatment Attachments.
What Not to Flush
Avoid Drain Pain - Don't Flush These Things
Just because the package says flushable doesn't mean it's true. Many items marketed as disposable and/or flushable do not degrade like toilet paper, and they wind up clogging pipes, tangling pumps and causing messy sewer backups into streets, businesses and homes.
Our sewers are designed to dispose of very specific things. Using your toilet for disposal of many modern products can result in blockages. The drains that connect your home to the main sewer are only big enough to carry water, toilet paper and human waste. Sewer pipes are often no wider than 4 inches.
What Not to Flush
• Diapers - cloth, disposable, flushable
• Facial tissues
• Baby wipes, disinfectant wipes, moist wipes, etc.
• Toilet bowl scrub pads
• Swiffers
• Napkins - paper or cloth, paper towels
• Dental floss
• Egg shells, nutshells and coffee grounds
• Fats, oils, and greases
• Food items containing seeds and peelings
• Hair
• Sanitary napkins, tampons, condoms or any non-organic material
• Vitamins, medicines or other pharmaceuticals
• Wash cloths, towels, rags (any cloth item)
• Clothing
• Sheet plastic or plastic of any kind
So what Can I do?
• Avoid purchasing flushable items. Clean with a sponge or a rag that you can reuse.
• If it can't be reused, recycled or composted, please place it in the garbage.
What should be flushed?
Just toilet paper and human waste. If you have questions about what is OK to flush, please call (864) 681-4300.
What about wet wipes?
If you must use a "wet wipe" product rather than just toilet paper, dispose of them in the garbage, not down the toilet. While packaging on some "flushable wipes" says the product will disintegrate like toilet paper, that generally is not accurate and these items can cause messy sewage backups into your home or neighbors' homes, local businesses or the street. If you are concerned about odors, try a lined garbage can with a well-fitting lid, a "diaper genie" style of container, wrap your wipes in pet waste bags or reused plastic grocery bags.
The Flushability Test
Take two bowls of water. Place toilet paper in one, and place the item in question in the other. Swish both items in the water. Wait an hour, then swish again. The toilet paper should have significantly disintegrated by then, while the other item (for example, facial tissue, wipes, napkins, etc.) will likely remain intact. Unless the item disintegrates at the rate of toilet paper, it should be placed in the garbage and not down the toilet. Otherwise, you risk a blockage in your own pipes as well as clogging a pump station and causing a sewage backup for other homes and businesses.
What is F.O.G.?
The fats, oil and grease (FOG) found in food ingredients such as meat, cooking oil, shortening, butter, margarine, baked goods, sauces and dairy products is a major concern for CPW’s sewer system. When not disposed of properly, FOG builds up in the sewer system constricting flow, which can cause sewer back-ups into homes and overflow discharges onto streets. It can also interfere with sewage treatment processes at the CPW’s Wastewater Treatment Plant. For more information, click here.
Sewer Backups and Flooding
When your drains or sewers give you trouble, you want immediate help, but it can be hard to know who to call. These questions and answers are intended to help you figure out where the problem is and how to get help as soon as possible.
When should I call the CPW?
Call the CPW immediately if sewage is coming up inside your home when you are not using water. We will check the sewer system serving your area and send a maintenance crew if needed. The crew will notify you of the results as soon as possible. The CPW is responsible for maintaining the main sewer lines and the customer’s connection (tap) to the sewer (generally located in the street or in the right-of-way), but not the customer’s sewer service line. Homeowners are responsible for their sewer service line maintenance and/or replacement. CPW maintenance crews are available 24 hours a day at (864) 681-4300.
When should I call a private service?
Call a private service if you have a slow drainage or you suspect a blockage. The problem is likely in your sewer service line. If, however, the service provider is unable to unblock the line and you still are having problems with your sewer system, call (864) 681-4300 before you incur any more expense.
What is a sewer service line?
A sewer service line, also known as a lateral sewer, carries waste from your home toilets and drains to the City's main sewer line, where it continues to a wastewater treatment plant. Most homeowners experience sewer problems in this service line, which they are responsible for maintaining and repairing. See this diagram to better understand how your side sewer connects to the CPW's main sewer line.
Which private sewer company should I call?
Companies offer a full range of services, including unblocking, repairing and replacing lines or pipe, but some specialize only in certain areas. Make sure to ask which services are provided. Ask friends and relatives for recommendations. Since companies offer a wide range of prices, it's a good idea to get at least three written bids before choosing a company.
• Rooter services unclog plumbing and private side sewers using water pressure or mechanical "snakes." Make sure the rooter service's snake cable is long enough to reach from your side sewer to the CPW's main sewer line (typically located underneath the street or alley). Rooter companies also might repair and/or replace service lines.
• Service line contractors repair and/or replace structural problems, such as breaks or holes in side sewers. Some contractors also might unclog lines.
• Plumbers repair leaky or broken fixtures and install systems in new construction and remodeling. If only some of your fixtures are not draining, or if your pipes are leaking, a plumber might be able to remedy the problem.
What questions should I ask the service provider?
We recommend asking the following questions of your service provider and making sure they are answered in writing - legibly - at the time of service. Have the service provider sign and date the answers. This step is essential for your protection in case of a future problem with your private service provider. If you have any doubts or questions, feel free to check with us.
Where is the blockage?
If you have your line rootered, have the service provider write down the specific footage where the blockage was found - or at least where the provider thinks it is. Also have the provider mark the spot on the ground. This information is helpful in determining if the problem is within the City's area of responsibility. The mark also can be helpful if you must dig up the pipe to repair it.
What is causing the problem?
Have the service provider write down the probable cause of the blockage. Identifying the type of blockage is helpful in determining what method should be used to open it, and in determining if regular maintenance of your side sewer is needed to prevent further backups.