Sewer Collection System

Permit Application


Sewer Service

If you have a problem with your home plumbing, please contact a local plumber to make repairs. If your plumber determines there is a problem with the Borough’s collection system, please contact Public Works during normal working hours at (610) 377-4009. After normal working hours, please contact the non-emergency number at (570) 325-9111.

The Borough of Lehighton is responsible for the public sewer collection system in town. Central Carbon Municipal Authority is responsible for the processing of the sanitary sewer for Lehighton Borough, Weissport Borough, Franklin Township and Mahoning Township.

There are many different parts that make up the sewer collection system. The sanitary system (dirty water) starts with the drains inside your house or building that all connect to a lateral line on the building property. The lateral then connects to the Borough’s mainline that makes its way to the treatment plant. This lateral is the responsibility of the property owner. When there are blockages in the lateral, the cap on the small pipe outside the building, called the cleanout, can be removed by the owner or licensed plumber to flush or snake the lateral in order to help clear a blockage. When a lateral has a break, crack, or invasive roots causing a blockage, it could require the lateral to be dug up for repair or replacement at a larger cost to the property owner. This is why it is very important to protect your lateral from these expensive problems. A permit is required for repairs and replacement lines. Some tips to help homeowners are:

  • Do not flush anything down the drain other than what naturally come out of your body and toilet paper. Avoid all sanitary products, cotton swabs, kitchen grease and oils, any form of wipe or so called “flushable.” These do not disperse and bind themselves all together to form large blockages.
  • Do not plant trees or bushes anywhere near your lateral, roots seek out water sources and invade pipes.

Keeping the system running smoothly, benefits everyone that uses it. The same items that could damage the personal property of a lateral can become an even larger blockage when many users’ debris makes it into the mainline. These prohibited items could cause backups into many properties at once, damage to pipes and pumps in the system, overflows out of manholes, which could all translate into higher costs to the users.

Figure 1 below shows the parts of the building sewer and lateral for both private and public issues. Please contact Public Works with any public sewer issues. We will require a sewer permit application be completed in order to determine the necessary actions for repair and replacement.

Sewer Service Diagram


Inflow & Infiltration

Inflow and infiltration or I & I are terms used to describe the ways that groundwater and stormwater enter into the Lehighton Borough collection system. The collection system consists of pipes located in the street or on easements that are designed strictly to transport wastewater from sanitary fixtures inside your house or place of business. Sanitary fixtures include toilets, sinks, bathtubs, showers and lavatories.

Inflow is stormwater that enters into sanitary sewer systems at points of direct connection to the system. Various sources contribute to the inflow, including footing/foundation drains, roof drains or leaders, downspouts, drains from window wells, outdoor basement stairwells, drains from driveways, groundwater/basement sump pumps, and even streams.

It is illegal to connect these sources to the sanitary sewer system. They may be direct connections or discharged into sinks or tubs that are directly connected to the sewer system. An improper connection lets water from sources other than sanitary fixtures and drains to enter the sanitary sewer system. That water should be entering the stormwater sewer system or allowed to soak into the ground without entering the sanitary sewer system.

These illegal connections can be made in either residential homes or businesses and can contribute a significant amount of water to sanitary sewer systems. Eight inch sanitary sewer pipes can adequately move the domestic wastewater flow from up to 200 homes, but only eight sump pumps operating at full capacity connected to the sanitary sewer pipe will overload the capacity of the same eight inch sewer pipes. A single sump pump can contribute over 7,000 gallons of water to sanitary sewer systems in a 24 hour period, the equivalent of the average daily flow from 26 homes.

Infiltration is groundwater that enters sanitary sewer systems through cracks and/or leaks in the sanitary sewer pipes. Cracks or leaks in sanitary sewer pipes or manholes may be caused by age related deterioration, loose joints, poor design, installation or maintenance errors, damage or root intrusion. Groundwater can enter these cracks or leaks wherever sanitary sewer systems lie beneath water tables or the soil above the sewer systems becomes saturated.

Average sewer pipes are designed to last about 20-50 years, depending on what type of material is used. Often sanitary sewer system pipes along with the lateral pipes attached to households and businesses have gone much longer without inspection or repair and are likely to be cracked or damaged.

The Public Works Department has an ongoing program of monitoring and eliminating sources of both inflow and infiltration. This includes sewer main and manhole rehabilitation along with investigating illegal sump pump connections.

It is important for homeowners to know that they are responsible for the maintenance of their lateral. Most homeowners are responsible for that part of the lateral that is from their home to the curb line of the street. Be aware that problems with your lateral can cause problems within the home.

Inflow and infiltration reduce the ability of the sanitary sewer system and treatment facility to properly transport and treat domestic and industrial wastewater. As a result of inflow and infiltration, wastewater treatment processes are disrupted and poorly treated wastewater is discharged to the environment. You can help eliminate these sources of I & I.

Infiltration - Inflow