Collection System

Collection System Department Purpose

The Collection System Department’s job is to ensure that NapaSan's network of underground sewer pipes is able to collect and transport wastewater to our treatment plant, the Soscol Water Recycling Facility. To insure that the collection system can perform this essential job, the Collection System Department provides inspection, maintenance, repair, and ongoing replacement of all NapaSan-owned sewer lines in our service area. That’s why the NapaSan Collection System Department trucks and equipment are a common sight on local streets!

Sewer Service Trucks & Equipment

Vactor Truck

Combination Truck

The Combination Truck is used for regular sewer line maintenance. It has a telescoping rotating hose reel with a nozzle at the end of the hose. The hose can deliver a high-pressure spray of up to 2000 pounds per square inch (psi) that effectively breaks up blockages in sanitary lines and flushes out debris. The Combination Truck also uses a high volume vacuum to remove broken up grit and debris. This is a hard-working piece of equipment: it is used to clean the entire sewer system approximately every two years.

TV Truck

TV Truck

A TV Truck crew is in operation nearly every weekday, using a special camera to examine NapaSan's sewer system. The camera, which looks like a miniature train car, is driven down the sewer mains looking for problems in the system such as roots intruding in the line, cracks or broken lines, and off set pipes. This televised information is sent to a screen in the TV Truck and is also recorded digitally for future reference. NapaSan also uses a mini-cam to televise pipes as small as 3 inches in diameter. These smaller pipes are usually televised whenever an emergency service call is requested due to a blockage or overflow.

Plug-Up Truck

The Plug-up Truck has equipment designed for sewer line emergencies as well as regular maintenance. One of the primary pieces of equipment on the plug-up truck is the gas-powered “Eel.” The eel is a hand-driven rodding machine with sections of dual cable rods with cutting heads connected to the leader rod. A five horsepower motor rotates the rods, directed down a cleanout into a lateral to cut away roots, grease, and other obstructions.

After the eel work is complete, the crew will run a mini-camera down the line to make sure the line is clean before they leave the job site.

Water Truck

Water Truck

The water truck is used to refill the reservoirs on the vactor trucks. This keeps the vactor truck in operation at the site. The water truck is also used for dust control, special projects (watering seeds and vegetation), wetting down rock and gravel to aid in compaction, and street cleaning after sewer spills or overflows onto the streets. The water truck carries recycled water from the wastewater treatment plant.

Rodder

Rodder

The Rodder (limited use) is used to remove roots, heavy grease, and other obstructions from inside the sewer lines by rotating a hydraulically driven continuous steel cable rod with a cutting blade or saw attached to the leading edge.

  1. About Collection Systems
  2. By the Numbers
  3. Master Plan
  4. Sewer System Management

Service Area Map

NapaSan provides wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal services to the residents and businesses in the City of Napa, Silverado Country Club, the Napa County Airport, and several adjacent unincorporated areas. See the service area map (PDF).

Sewer Maintenance & Repair

NapaSan’s Preventative Maintenance Program involves a planned schedule for cleaning sewer lines that are highly susceptible to root intrusion, grease, and other debris. The frequency of cleaning for a sewer line is determined by the cleaning needs, with the goal of preventing sewer line blockage and overflows.

Preventing Sewer Overflows

Learn what you can do to prevent sewage back-ups.

Emergency Service for Sewer Back-ups

NapaSan has a sewer emergency on-call service available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Our goal is to respond to all calls within 30 minutes. NapaSan will clear all plugged sewer laterals from the property line down to the main line and all NapaSan main lines. If the problem is in the homeowner’s section of the lateral (from the house to the property line), the NapaSan crew will inform them of the situation. The homeowner is responsible for the upper lateral and house plumbing (JPEG). For sewer emergencies, call 707-258-6000, ext. 9.

Cleaning Sewer Lines

Crews inspect, clean, and maintain sewer lines on a daily basis. It takes approximately two years to complete an entire cycle of cleaning and maintenance of the 270 miles of sewer main lines. NapaSan inspects and cleans the lines in a variety of ways using their trucks and equipment.

Sewer System Construction

The NapaSan Collection System Department does various types of construction work. Crews replace or repair an average of 70 public sewer laterals each year, as well as installing or repairing 230 clean-outs. Crews also repair main lines and/or replace sections of mainlines. After construction work, NapaSan replaces all pavement and cement, and repairs all homeowner’s yards to their original or better condition.