Wastewater Treatment

Where Wastewater Comes From

Each residence served produces an average of 375 gallons of wastewater (also known as sewage) every day, which amounts to more than 30 million gallons of wastewater processed daily for our 120,000 residential customers. Business and industrial users produce more than five million gallons of wastewater, bringing the total wastewater handled each day to more than 35 million gallons. Our current wastewater processing capacity is 51 million gallons daily.

Wastewater is moved from its originating source, whether residential, business or industrial, to two strategically located processing facilities through a network of 1,825 miles of sewer mains and 45 wastewater pump stations.

Watch the full 13-minute virtual tour of our Archie Elledge Wastewater Treatment Plant

Wastewater Treatment Process (PDF)
Planta de Tratamiento de Agua Potable (PDF) 

Administration

Meeting our area's wastewater needs is a shared responsibility of the City of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. Operations of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities are governed by the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utility Commission, whose members are appointed by the Winston-Salem City Council and the Forsyth County Board of County Commissioners.

Elledge Plant StaffElledge Plant Wins Regional Award

Archie Elledge Wastewater Treatment Plant received the 2017 Wastewater Treatment Plant Operation and Maintenance Excellence Award, a highly sought-after regional honor. It recognized the plant for outstanding operation and maintenance efforts and for the best use of its resources. Learn more by watching the Archie Elledge Award video.