The City of Tuscaloosa’s Infrastructure and Public Services department operates and maintains 63 lift stations, 11,629 manholes, and 566 miles of collection system. IPS also runs the Hilliard Fletcher Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility, which discharges 15,540,000 gallons of water per day. In 2017 alone, this department has brought over $63 million in capital improvements to the City and provided an uninterrupted clean water service. Additionally, in 2017 the IPS department has rehabbed 17 manholes and 1,076 feet of pipe, made 105 point repairs, assessed 86 miles of pipe, and inspected 1,260 manholes.
Finally, an achievement that the department is especially proud of is reducing the number of sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) per year to a fraction of what it was in previous years. SSOs have been reduced by 69% since 2008. This improvement is primarily credited to the increased frequency with which the sewer lines are cleaned and the FOG program.
Sanitary Sewer Overflow Notice
Date: 10/23/2023
Discharge: 9,450 Approximate Gallons
Location: 20/59
Latitude: 33.171400
Longitude: -87.419697
Destination: UT to Echo Lake
Cause: Failed, Damaged, Collapsed Force main
Failure: Waste Water crews responded to a sewer discharge off right of way of Interstate 20/59. Contractors repaired line while city crews bypassed at Lift Station 41 to mitigate overflow. City crews cleaned and disinfected SSO area. SSO Signage is in place. The Tuscaloosa County Health Department as well as the Alabama Department of Environmental Management are being notified.
Sanitary Sewer Overflow Notice
Date: 09/29/2023
Discharge: 42,000 Approximate Gallons
Location: LS 40 15911 Progress Dr.
Latitude: 33.188086
Longitude: -87.314461
Destination: Little Hurricane Creek to Hurricane Creek
Cause: Power Outage
Failure: Waste Water Techs responded to a sewer discharge at LS40 located at 15911 Progress Dr. On site crews assessed a power failure which rendered lift station pumps inoperable, resulting in sewer overflow. Once Alabama Power restored power, the overflow ended. City crews cleaned and disinfected SSO area. SSO Signage is in place. The Tuscaloosa County Health Department as well as the Alabama Department of Environmental Management are being notified.
Sanitary Sewer Overflow Notice
Date: 09/27/2023
Discharge: 250 Approximate Gallons
Location: 7400 Block of Spinnaker Ave NE
Latitude: 33.285560
Longitude: -87.494548
Destination: SD to UT to Lake Tuscaloosa
Cause: Damaged Low Pressure Sewer Line
Failure: City crews responded to a sewer discharge at the 7400 Block of Spinnaker Ave NE. Once on site crews found a damaged low pressure sewer line. City contractors were dispatched to make repairs to the sewer line. Once line was repaired the discharge ended. City crews cleaned and disinfected SSO area. SSO Signage is in place. Crews spoke with nearby residence. The Tuscaloosa County Health Department as well as the Alabama Department of Environmental Management are being notified.
Sanitary Sewer Overflow Notice
Date: 09/19/2023
Discharge: 7,500 Approximate Gallons
Location: 10000 Block of Hwy 11
Latitude: 33.174244
Longitude: -87.262907
Destination: UT to Little Hurricane Creek
Cause: Damaged Sewer Control Valve
Failure: City crews responded to a sewer discharge at the 10000 Block of Hwy 11. Once on site crews found a sewer control valve had failed. City contractors were dispatched to make repairs to the valve. Once valve was repaired the discharge ended. City crews cleaned and disinfected the SSO area. SSO signage is in place and crews spoke with nearby residence. The Tuscaloosa County Health Department as well as the Alabama Department of Environmental Management are being notified.
Sanitary Sewer Overflow Notice
Date: 09/16/2023
Discharge: 200 Approximate Gallons
Location: Alberta Pkwy/25th Ave E
Latitude: 33.20842
Longitude: -87.50461
Destination: SD to UT to Cribbs Mill Creek
Cause: Grease
Failure: City crews responded to a MH discharge at the intersection of Alberta Pkwy and 25th Ave E. Crews quickly removed blockage which ended the discharge. SSO signage is in place. The affected area was cleaned and disinfected. The Tuscaloosa County Health Department as well as the Alabama Department of Environmental Management are being notified.
Sanitary Sewer Overflow Notice
Date: 09/15/2023
Discharge: 1,000 Approximate Gallons
Location: LS#11 2600 Block of Clements Rd
Latitude: 33.182721
Longitude: -87.443332
Destination: Unnamed Tributary to Cottondale Creek to Hurricane Creek
Cause: Lift Station Bypass Pump Failure
Failure: Lift Station techs responded to a high wet well alarm per SCADA and confirmed that a bypass pump had experienced a fuel injector issue, subsequently causing an overflow at manhole 7015. SSO signage is in place. The affected ground areas have been cleaned and disinfected. The Tuscaloosa County Health Department as well as the Alabama Department of Environmental Management are being notified.
Sanitary Sewer Overflow Notice
Date: 09/06/2023
Discharge: Less than 50 Gallons
Location: 4100 Block of Meretta Ln.
Latitude: 33.255663
Longitude: -87.477624
Destination: Onto ground
Cause: Broken low pressure sewer line.
Failure: Sewer crews responded to a broke sewer line call and discovered a broken low pressure sewer line. City contractors were called in to make the repair. SSO signage is in place. The affected ground areas are will be cleaned and disinfected. The Tuscaloosa County Health Department as well as the Alabama Department of Environmental Management have been notified.
Sanitary Sewer Overflow Notice
Date: 09/02/2023
Discharge: 30,000 gallons approximately
Location: 2600 block of Clements Rd Lift Station #11
Latitude: 33.182721
Longitude: -87.443332
Destination: UT to Cottondale Creek to Hurricane Creek
Cause: Lift Station By-Pass Pump Failure
Failure: SSO Investigations confirmed that per Lift Station techs, a by-pass pump failed to engage due to a blown head gasket and subsequent lack of prime, resulting in a sanitary sewer overflow. A new bypass pump has been installed and the discharge has ended as of 04:50pm. SSO signages have been posted at various creek entry points. The affected ground areas are being cleaned and disinfected. The Tuscaloosa County Health Department as well as the Alabama Department of Environmental Management have been notified.