The Sewer division of the DPW is responsible for managing 51 miles of sanitary sewers and 28 miles of storm sewers.

Sanitary sewers of the Village system are closed, discharging into main trunks, owned and operated by the Joint Meeting of Essex & Union Counties which handles sewage from twelve communities at its treatment plant in Elizabeth, NJ. The flow is metered and each community pays its share annually.
 
If you experience a sewer backup in your home during regular business hours, call the South Orange Public Works Department at 973-378-7741 x1. In some cases, the Village may be able to solve the problem without you having to call a plumber. On weekends or after normal business hours, homeowners can contact the police non-emergency number 973-378-7772 for assistance.

Storm water sewer system
The DPW maintains the 1,050 storm water catch basins on our streets. Our storm water system drains directly to the East branch of the Rahway River so please help keep these catch basins free of litter, chemicals, and debris.

For more information on NJ storm water see the Engineering page.