FAQs

In the past, the property owner was responsible for any and all repairs to the sanitary sewer lateral which connects their home with the sanitary sewer in the street.  If a problem were to occur within the street, homeowners, on average, would be facing a $12,000.00 repair bill.  This proved to be a severe hardship to many of these homeowners.

Beginning January 1, 2008, the City of Racine took over responsibility for structural failures of the lateral within the street right-of-way.

The homeowner is still responsible for the cleaning, removal of roots or deposits which may result in reduced flow or blockage of the lateral.

First and foremost, the property owner is no longer at risk of an unexpected major repair cost due to the failure of the sewer lateral which is located in the street right-of-way or city easement.  Secondly, the City will proactively repair or replace suspect laterals in conjunction with major street projects.  And, finally, the City will make repairs or replace the mainline sewer as its condition warrants.

The first step is to hire a plumbing contractor.  The plumbing contractor will investigate the problem.  If the plumbing contractor believes that a structural failure exists, and that it is located beyond the property line, they should contact the City Engineer’s office at 262-636-9121.

If the City concurs that the problem is caused by a structural defect within the street right-of-way or city easement, then the City will make the needed repairs AT NO COST to the property owner.

More than 50% of the homes in the City of Racine are older than 75 years.  The average life of a sewer lateral is 100 years.  Therefore, if nothing changed, we predict a significant increase in lateral failures over the next 25 years.

If the problem is found not to be your property, the City will pay the reasonable cost to investigate and repair the problem.  However, the City will not reimburse the cost of previous cleanings of the line or any damages caused to the building or its contents.

Fats, oils and grease (FOG) are found in food scraps, meat fats, lard, oil, margarine, butter, sauces and dairy products. FOG is commonly associated with fried goods and baked goods prepared at home or in a good establishment. When FOG is not disposed of properly, it can clog your homes plumbing as well as city sewers.

When  washed  down  a  sink  or  drain,  FOG  builds  up over  time  and  can  cause  a  blockage  in  your  drains, pipes   and   in   sanitary   sewers.   Blockages   lead   to increased  costs  to  maintain  private  plumbing,  our sewers,  the  wastewater  treatment  plants  and  public and private property.

• Neighborhood: Plumbing and sewer backups can result in property damage and various code violations. These backups can also create hazardous and unhealthy conditions.
• Environment: Clogged sewers can cause raw sewage overflows, which release untreated sewage into our rivers and streams. Sewer overflows make waterways unsafe for recreation, and they threaten the fish and other aquatic life that live in our rivers and streams.
• Quality of Life: Sewer backups and clogs attract insects and vermin, resulting in undesirable and unhealthy living conditions.

• Pour cooking fat or grease into a small container. Once it cools or solidifies, place it in the garbage.
• Don’t dispose of FOG into food waste disposers, sinks, toilets, or floor drains.
• Dispose of greasy solid waste in the trash.
• “Dry wipe” pots, pans and other dishes before washing to minimize the amount of FOG and solids washed down the drain.
• Do not put used cooking oil, oil-based paints, motor oil, solvents or other chemicals down sewer lines or storm drains. Large quantities of home cooking oil from fryers should be poured back into the original oil containers. Dispose of these items at Racine Household Hazardous Waste Events. For collection event dates, the location, and what waste materials to bring, visit:HHW
• Educate others on the damage that FOG can cause.

Section 98 of the Municipal Code, Section 151 – General sewer use requirements states:

No user shall contribute or cause to be contributed the following substances: any wastewater containing fats, wax, grease or oils whether emulsified or not…or containing substances which may solidify or become viscous at temperatures between 32 degrees Fahrenheit and 150 degrees Fahrenheit.

FOG is any fats, oils and grease associated with food preparation, food service, and kitchen clean-up.

It becomes a problem for the community when it is poured down the drain and builds up in sewer pipes, pumps and equipment causing back-ups and overflows that are hazardous to health, homes, businesses, and the environment.

It can become a problem for your establishment if you are found to be the cause of a sanitary sewer overflow because of FOG or improper maintenance of a grease trap or grease interceptor located in your establishment.

You may be responsible for cleanup costs and property damage.

But there are ways to decrease the amount of FOG going down the drain and help to keep our community clean.

• Have interceptors and traps designed and installed by a licensed plumber to handle the amount of grease expected from your facility.
• Clean and service the interceptors and traps on a regular basis.
• Do not add chemicals and additives that claim to dissolve grease.
• Follow the “Best Management Practices” (BMPs) provided to you by the Racine Wastewater Utility.
• Keep good up-to-date records of all cleanings, maintenance, and service and have it available during inspections.
• Contact Racine Wastewater Utility with any further questions.

They are nutrient-rich organic materials resulting from the treatment of domestic sewage in a treatment facility. When treated and processed, these residuals can be recycled and applied as fertilizer to improve and maintain productive soils and stimulate plant growth.

Biosolids are treated sewage sludge. Biosolids are carefully treated and monitored and must be used in accordance with regulatory requirements.

We have biosolids as a result of the wastewater treatment process. Wastewater treatment technology has made our water safer for recreation and seafood harvesting. Thirty years ago, thousands of American cities dumped their raw sewage directly into the nation’s rivers, lakes, and bays. Through regulation of this dumping, local governments are now required to treat wastewater and to make the decision whether to recycle biosolids as fertilizer, incinerate it, or bury it in a landfill.

Biosolids are created through the treatment of domestic wastewater generated from sewage treatment facilities. The treatment of biosolids can actually begin before the wastewater reaches the sewage treatment plant. In many larger wastewater treatment systems, pre-treatment regulations require that industrial facilities pre-treat their wastewater to remove many hazardous contaminants before it is sent to a wastewater treatment plant. Wastewater treatment facilities monitor incoming wastewater streams to ensure their recyclability and compatibility with the treatment plant process.

Once the wastewater reaches the plant, the sewage goes through physical, chemical and biological processes which clean the wastewater and remove the solids. The wastewater treatment processes work  to control pathogens (disease-causing organisms, such as certain bacteria, viruses and parasites) and other organisms capable of transporting disease.

After treatment and processing, biosolids can be recycled and applied as fertilizer to improve and maintain productive soils and stimulate plant growth. The controlled land application of biosolids completes a natural cycle in the environment. By treating sewage sludge, it becomes biosolids which can be used as valuable fertilizer, instead of taking up space in a landfill or other disposal facility.

The application of biosolids reduces the need for chemical fertilizers. As more wastewater plants become capable of producing high quality biosolids, there is an even greater opportunity to make use of this valuable resource.

The National Academy of Sciences has reviewed current practices, public health concerns and regulator standards, and has concluded that “the use of these materials in the production of crops for human consumption when practiced in accordance with existing federal guidelines and regulations, presents negligible risk to the consumer, to crop production and to the environment.”

Biosolids may have their own distinctive odor depending on the type of treatment it has been through. Some biosolids may have only a slight musty, ammonia odor. Others have a stronger odor that may be offensive to some people. Much of the odor is caused by compounds containing sulfur and ammonia, both of which are plant nutrients.

The federal biosolids rule is contained in 40 CFR Part 503. Biosolids that are to be land applied must meet these strict regulations and quality standards. The Part 503 rule governing the use and disposal of biosolids contain numerical limits, for metals in biosolids, pathogen reduction standards, site restriction, crop harvesting restrictions and monitoring, record keeping and reporting requirements for land applied biosolids as well as similar requirements for biosolids that are surface disposed or incinerated. Most recently, standards have been proposed to include requirements in the Part 503 Rule that limit the concentration of dioxin and dioxin like compounds in biosolids to ensure safe land application.

The biosolids rule is described in the EPA publication, A Plan English Guide to the EPA Part 503 Biolsolids Rule . This guide states and interprets the Part 503 rule for the general reader. This guide is also available in hard copy. In addition to the Plain English Guide, EPA has prepared A Guide to the Biosolids Risk Assessment for the EPA Part 503 Rule which shows the many steps followed to develop the scientifically defensible, safe set of rules (also available from EPA in hard copy.)

Biosolids are used to fertilize fields for raising crops. Agricultural uses of biosolids, that meet strict quality criteria and application rates, have been shown to produce significant improvements in crop growth and yield. Nutrients found in biosolids, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and trace elements such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, sulfur and zinc, are necessary for crop production and growth. The use of biosolids reduces the farmer’s production costs and replenishes the organic matter that has been depleted over time. The organic matter improves soil structure by increasing the soil’s ability to absorb and store moisture.

The organic nitrogen and phosphorous found in biosolids are used very efficiently by crops because these plant nutrients are released slowly throughout the growing season. This enables the crop to absorb these nutrients as the crop grows. This efficiency lessens the likelihood of groundwater pollution of nitrogen and phosphorous.

Biosolids have been used successfully at mine sites to establish sustainable vegetation. Not only does the organic matter, inorganic matrix and nutrients present in the biosolids reduce the bioavailability of toxic substances often found in highly disturbed mine soils, but also regenerate the soil layer. This regeneration is very important for reclaiming abandoned mine sites with little or no topsoil. The biosolids application rate for mine reclamation is generally higher than the agronomic rate which cannot be exceeded for use of agricultural soils.

Biosolids have been found to promote rapid timber growth, allowing quicker and more efficient harvest of an important natural resource.

Yes, biosolids may be composted and sold or distributed for use on lawns and home gardens. Most biosolids composts are highly desirable products that are easy to store, transport and use.

To determine whether biosolids can be applied to a particular farm site, an evaluation of the site’s suitability is generally performed by the land applier. The evaluation examines water supplies, soil characteristics, slopes, vegetation, crop needs and the distances to surface and groundwater.

There are different rules for different classes of biosolids. Class A biosolids contain no detectible levels of pathogens. Class A biosolids that meet strict vector attraction reduction requirements and low levels metals contents, only have to apply for permits to ensure that these very tough standards have been met. Class B biosolids are treated but still contain detectible levels of pathogens. There are buffer requirements, public access, and crop harvesting restrictions for virtually all forms of Class B biosolids.

Nutrient management planning ensures that the appropriate quantity and quality of biosolids are land applied to the farmland. The biosolids application is specifically calculated to match the nutrient uptake requirements of the particular crop. Nutrient management technicians work with the farm community to assure proper land application and nutrient control.

Anyone who wants to use biosolids for land application must comply with all relevant federal and state regulations. In some cases a permit may be required.

A voluntary EMS is now being developed for biosolids by the National Biosolids Partnership (NBP). The NBP consists of members from the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agency, the Water Environment Federation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other stakeholders including the general public. Those facilities who pledge to follow the EMS are agreeing to follow community-friendly practices in addition to being in compliance with applicable state and Federal regulations. Community friendly practices refer to the control of odor, traffic, noise, and dust as well as the management of nutrients. Those who pledge to follow the EMS will be subjected to audit by impartial independent third parties.