Customer Service, Billing and General Questions

Pretreatment and Collections Department Questions

 

 

 

What is this bill I received from St. Vrain Sanitation District for and what service do you provide?
St. Vrain Sanitation District provides your sanitary sewer service. The bill you received is for treating all your wastewater from your home or business.

Are you my trash company?
St. Vrain Sanitation District does not provide your trash service. You will need to contact the town to find out who your trash provider is.

When will I receive my sewer bill?
St. Vrain Sanitation District bills on a quarterly basis (see chart below or click here for more information

The flat rate for a residence is $22.00 per month or $66.00 per quarter.  Those customers who pay a $11.70 drainage fee will owe $77.70 per quarter. Commercial rates are determined individually.

When is the annual payment offered?
Sewer service charges may be paid one year in advance with an 8.33% discount (one month free).  Accounts must be current to utilize this provision. This is offered once annually with the first quarter billing.

How do I pay my bill?
- Online via electronic check or credit/debit card "Pay My Bill" .
Please note: if paying with a credit/debit card a processing fee will be applied. There is no fee if paying via electronic check.
- Mail your payment to 11307 Business Park Circle, Firestone, CO 80504
- Drop your payment off at the location above or in the drop box (located to the right of the front door).
If you have questions about your sewer bill please call (303) 682-4693

Why should I care what goes down the drain?
It is important to limit what kinds of things you allow to go down your drain in either the home or business.  Sewer lines and treatment systems are not designed to handle certain wastes.  Things that can cause problems include flammables, corrosives, toxic's, excessive or incompatible solids, oil, grease and others.  In many cases the greatest risk occurs at the point of discharge – the service line through the building and out to the sewer main in the street or alley.  This line belongs to the building, not the District, so damage or clogs in it are the responsibility of the owner.

What can happen if I put prohibited items down the drain?
Flammable liquids release vapors that can travel up service lines, through dry floor drains to a source of ignition, such as a water heater, to cause an explosion.  Acids can attack and destroy pipes.  Toxic's, along with flammables and acids can harm the treatment plant bacteria, resulting in poorly cleaned wastewater.  They can also endanger building occupants, the public or District workers through fume exposure.  Solids and grease will contribute to clogging both service lines and sewer mains to produce backups and can interfere with operations at the treatment plant.  Increased costs to the District will result in higher service charges to all users.

What’s OK for households to discharge?
Normal domestic wastewater includes bathroom, kitchen, laundry and general cleaning wastewater.  It should not include items like gasoline, solvents, acids, pesticides or herbicides or groundwater sump discharge which should be drained to the ground.  The two biggest problem items discharged from homes are grease from cooking and “flushable” wipes.

What’s OK for businesses to discharge?
Domestic-type wastewater from restrooms, break room kitchens and general cleaning of office spaces requires no reporting.  Wastewater from industrial facilities, vehicle/equipment washing, facilities that use or store chemicals and commercial/large-scale food preparation must be reported to the District.  One way to report is to complete a Nonresidential Wastewater Survey .Completed surveys will be evaluated for follow-up that could include a site visit, requirements for secure chemical storage, or possible permitting for a very few industrial processes.

I have a restaurant.  How can I control grease in my wastewater?
Grease interceptors are required for all new and relocated restaurants.  An interceptor is a large (750-1500 gallon) tank that collects grease from a restaurant’s kitchen wastewater, preventing it from depositing on sewer piping.  Existing restaurants that do not have an interceptor may be required to install one if grease is a problem in their sewer line.  Alternately, Best Management Practices (BMP's) may be used to limit the amount of grease released to the sewer.  BMP's include scraping plates to the trash instead of using a grinder, wiping pots with paper towels before washing, screening solids from sink drains, posting signage of these requirements and ongoing employee training.

My restaurant has a grease interceptor, what should I do to maintain it?
Interceptors must be cleaned when grease and solids reach 25% of the interceptor’s capacity, or every 6 months, extendable to one year with District inspection.  Records must be kept by the restaurant to show that regular inspections and cleaning were done.  When pump out is required, you must select a company to completely empty the interceptor and properly dispose of the material.  A copy of the disposal invoice must be sent to the St. Vrain Sanitation District.

Why is there a sewer odor in my building?
The most common cause of sewer gas smell is a dry water seal.  Each drain contains a u-shaped pipe that traps a small amount of water to form a seal against sewer gases rising into buildings.  Drains that are seldom used can have this water evaporate over time allowing vapors to enter through the open piping.  Pouring water down drains, including floor drains, can stop this problem.  Non-toxic antifreeze, which is slower to evaporate, can also be used to vapor seal unused drains for longer periods.

What causes a sewer back up?
A sewer backup is usually caused by material that builds up inside a sewer pipe eventually slowing and blocking the flow of wastewater.  Roots often grow into older sewer pipes through small cracks.  These roots form a mat that can catch material. See "RootX". Cooking grease will also stick to anything in contact with the wastewater and can eventually build up into large deposits.  These deposits in turn catch other material or can break off forming “grease logs” that can block a pipe see "Grease Traps".  In recent years, the use of “flushable” wipes has proven to be a big problem for sewer operations.  These wipes do not dissolve in water like toilet paper does, so they often collect along with roots and grease to contribute to clog formation both in sewer pipes and at the treatment plant. See "Wipes Clog Pipes". 

What should I do if I have a sewer backup?
There are two kinds of sewer backups; a service line backup which affects only a single building, or a sewer main backup which can stop flow in a number of buildings upstream of the clog and/or cause sewage to discharge from a manhole without immediate backup into buildings.  If you have or see any kind of backup, please call SVSD immediately at (303) 776-9570.  There is staff available 24 hours per day.  Try to avoid contact with wastewater or anything it touches until the item has been cleaned.

Does my homeowners insurance cover sewer back-ups?
You will need to check your insurance policy; most insurance does not cover sewer back-ups unless it was purchased separately.

Who do I call if I need maintenance done to my service line?
We cannot recommend a specific company, however we do recommend you call around to get the best price.

What do the different utility markers mean and when do I need to call for locates?
Homeowners need to call for locates every time they dig on their property. Below is a color coded list of underground utilities.