The Utility Services Division is responsible for pipeline maintenance on the surface water system, groundwater system, and the City's sewage collection system. The Division maintains a staff of certified distribution and system collection operators.  The Division provides emergency response to sewer back-ups and water main leaks. Utility Services personnel perform the water meter reading and recording using handheld data collectors.

Water System
The City of Wilmington's water distribution system services approximately 36,000 customers through 500+ miles of water lines.  Utility Services is responsible for the maintenance and installation of these lines.

Collection System
The City of Wilmington operates a sewage collection system comprised of 370 miles of gravity line, 10,400 manholes, 31 pump stations, and 25 miles of pressurized sewage force main.  There are approximately 25,300 connections through which an average of 14.7 million gallons of wastewater travels each day. Wastewater is treated at either of our two facilities located in the City.

On-going cleaning and inspection programs are in place to monitor and maintain our sewer system, including rodding, high pressure washing, and closed circuit television inspection of lines. Old, leaking sewer lines are replaced and refurbished to reduce the amount of rainwater entering our collection system.

The City also monitors and regulates grease discharge through its Pretreatment Program. Fats, oils, and grease can cause grease buildup in the lines and is the main cause of most collection system blockages. The grease clings to the inside of the pipes and builds up over time resulting in restriction of flow through the pipes. Eventually the pipe becomes completely clogged causing the sewer to back up.