Show All Answers

1. What should I do if my sewer backs up?

The first thing to do is call a plumber. Most blockages are found to be in the lateral which is the owner's responsibility to have cleaned and repaired if necessary. The owner is responsible for the lateral from their house to the main in the street. If the plumber finds the blockage is in the sewer main, your plumber should contact us at 607-737-6223, so we can discuss the issue with him and check the sewer main. This number is monitored after regular business hours as well.

2. Where do I pay my bill?

Sewer bills can be paid at the Milton Street Wastewater Treatment Plant Administrative Office located at:
600 Milton Street
Elmira, NY 14904

Payments accepted by cash, check, or credit card with an additional fee. Check payments can be mailed to the Administrative Offices at the same address. No payments after October 31.

3. Do you accept waste from RVs?

Yes we do at the Milton Street Plant between the hours of 8 am to 4 pm weekdays. There is no fee but we do require users to come into the main office and record information on a sheet located there.

4. Where does the wastewater come from?

It comes from toilets, household cleaning, bathing and cooking, as well as industrial cleaning and manufacturing. There are also other sources such as rainwater. We especially see a large increase during heavy thunderstorms or when snow is melting.

5. What happens to the wastewater after you treat it?

The clean water leaving the plant is discharged to the Chemung River.

6. How clean is the treated wastewater?

Both of the Chemung County Sewer District's Wastewater Treatment Facilities are advanced secondary treatment facilities. As such, the water we discharge is comparable to the quality of natural surface waters, and is safe for fish and other aquatic life. Both the effluent and the receiving waters are monitored to make sure New York State and Environmental Protection Agency standards are met.

7. Do you give tours of the wastewater plant?

Yes, we do offer educational tours free of charge. For safety reasons, minimum age for school groups is 5th grade. Please call 607-733-2887 for details and to set up a tour.

8. How much wastewater is treated in a day?

About 24.2 million gallons per day between the two treatment plants; or the volume required to fill 36 Olympic sized swimming pools.