Mission

Our mission is to protect the public health, safety, and the environment by providing quality service, environmental stewardship, and renewable resources. We design, manage and maintain 3,500 miles of the sanitary sewer (conveyance) system and two metropolitan and six sub-regional water reclamation facilities.  For more about our mission and FAQs, please refer to our main site.

What happens after a Service Request is submitted?

The service request is processed by administrative staff and dispatched to field crews.  Emergency related issues are responded to within an hour.  Field staff will leave a door hanger if they are unable to make contact with the caller.

Roach complaints have a 7-14 day response, which is largely dependent on the season (refer to Vector Program below for more information).

RWRD Preventative Maintenance Programs

Odor Control Program

The system-wide odor control plan involves the use of odor control infrastructure and equipment, including monitoring equipment that continuously measures the odor-causing gases that may arise. The information obtained through the monitoring equipment helps RWRD respond when odors are released from the sanitary sewer system or WRFs. A team of odor control technicians works year-round to reduce sewer and WRF odors.  Refer to the following site for more information about the Odor Control Program. 

Vector Program

The RWRD Conveyance Division operates the Vector (Roach) Control Program, which treats the Pima County sewer system to reduce the number of roaches. Note: that RWRD does not treat private property/lines, buildings or outdoor areas where these roaches sometimes migrate. RWRD is the only utility in Pima County that treats for cockroaches. Further, most wastewater service providers in the U.S. do not proactively treat their systems as we do. This is a complimentary service that RWRD provides to its customers.

The Conveyance Division engages an outside contractor to treat manholes. We endeavor to treat each manhole once every two years (the amount of time the treatment is designed to last).  For more information and FAQs about the vector program, refer to the following website.  

Area Rod Program

Pima County’s Area Rod Program was developed to routinely and systematically clean the public sanitary sewage conveyance system at least once every five (5) years.

Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Program

Pima County’s CCTV Inspection and Condition Assessment Program is designed to inspect the sanitary sewer system utilizing video recording equipment to create an inspection record of each line within a 10 year period.  Video is reviewed by staff for structural and operational conditions of the sewers and assign applicable industry standard sanitary sewer condition assessment codes (NASSCO PACP*).  From the assessments, recommendations for potential rehabilitation and maintenance activities are related to our rehabilitation and gravity staff.

*NASSCO PACP - National Association of Sewer Service Companies Pipe Assessment Certification Program