Here's the shocking part... It's not that the sewer is overflowing. It's that the town hasn't fixed this problem. It's simple physics--more specifically, hydraulics and fluid mechanics.
attribution: Diceman, via Wikimedia Commons
CC BY-SA 3.0
The potential energy of impounded water at the top of this dam is enough to drive turbines to create electrical energy. When the water is released at the bottom of the dam the potential energy has been spent.
Consider Niagara Falls.
attribution: Eheik via wikipedia
The potential energy of the relatively slow moving water at the top is released at the bottom of the falls when it crashes into the rock bottom.
Sometimes bolted manhole covers are used to keep sewer lines containing sanitary sewage from overflowing. However, this can result in sanitary sewage popping up somewhere else--like in someone's basement or someones' basements.
Besides damage to property, needless to say, there are serious health hazards for people who are exposed to raw sewage.
attribution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Also needless to say, it's up to the town to fix serious problems with its public utility lines.
attribution: Sokwanele - Zimbabwe
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