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SSOs discharge water and other contents from the sanitary sewage system. Avoid contact and report them to the Prince William Water Emergency Dispatch line at (703) 335-7990.

More information on the extent of environmental and human health impacts caused by SSOs can be found in the EPA report Impacts and Control of CSOs and SSOs. 

Any SSO that enters state waters or may reasonably be expected to enter state waters is reportable. Signage is placed at the site of the incident for seven days for reportable SSOs. Prince William Water also posts information about any active SSOs on our website and social media accounts. VDEQ maintains a Pollution Response Program (PREP) database, which is accessible to the public. This database shows all open SSO cases throughout the state, as well as a five-year period of record for closed SSO cases. 

To prevent clogs and SSOs, never pour fats, oils, or grease (FOG) down drains. Dispose of them in sealed containers. Despite being labeled "flushable," wipes can cause clogs and should not be flushed. Ensure storm water connections are correct and report suspected issues. Keep sewer cleanout caps secured for line access. 

Most sewer systems experience occasional SSOs. Some SSO causes are:

• Inappropriate materials placed into sewers, such as fats, oils and grease (FOG) and some household products such as baby and facial wipes, sanitary pads and tampons. All of these can create blockages.
• Tree roots and/or excessive stormwater or groundwater entering sewer lines through defects or cracks.
• Inappropriate connections such as sump pumps, roof gutters and downspouts, foundation drains and area drains.
• Power loss.
• Equipment failures and breaks.
• Intentional acts of vandalism.
• Heavy rainfall and natural disasters. 

A sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) is an overflow of untreated or partially treated sewage from a sanitary sewer system. 

Prince William Water's water system provides on-demand drinking water. As the County grows, Prince William Water builds its water system to serve more customers. New customers pay an Availability Fee at connection to cover system expansion costs.  
 
Commercial clients who use more water than their allocated capacity limit Prince William Water capacity for other customers. Prince William Water assesses Commercial High Demand Charges to recover the cost of adding water system capacity to lessen the impact of some commercial customers' high demands. 

Due to business-specific characteristics, Prince William Water must rely on commercial consumers to predict their water use. Prince William Water will evaluate the customer's usage estimate and the desired meter's suitability.  

Using historical data, Prince William Water can estimate a customer's water use, but it cannot predict their actual use. Due to company demand, ownership or tenant changes, etc., a customer's estimated water use may differ from their actual use. Prince William Water may request extra Availability Fees at any time when water demand exceeds capacity purchased, regardless of property ownership. Customers can buy more capacity and raise their thresholds by recertifying with our Engineering Division at 703-335-7930. 

As erroneous estimations may result in higher Availability Fees or High Demand Charges, Prince William Water advises consumers to estimate their use as accurately as possible. Owners and tenants should understand Developer and User Fees to manage water and sewer accounts cost effectively. 

Commercial High Demand Charges apply year-round since commercial customers' excess use is not confined to residential peak season (May–October). 

Prince William County regulations do not mandate semi-rural residential or rural properties within 2,500 feet of public water or 1,000 feet of sewer to connect to a proposed water or sewer line. New developments in these zones may link to nearby utilities if allowed by the Prince William County Comprehensive Plan and Prince William County Code, subject to amendments by the Board of County Supervisors only.