What does sewerage mean?
Sewerage is the network of pipes, drains, and other channels that carries sewage away from homes, businesses, and public buildings. In British English, the term is also used for the broader provision and management of sewage disposal. It is distinct from sewage, which is the waste water itself, and from a sewer, which is one individual conduit within the larger system. Sewerage is closely associated with public sanitation: a reliable network helps prevent waste from contaminating streets, rivers, and groundwater. The word is formal and commonly appears in civic, engineering, and public-health contexts, including discussion of municipal sewerage systems, sewerage networks, and sewerage works.
nounA system of sewers, especially the pipes and channels used to carry waste water away from buildings and towns. The term can also refer more broadly to the disposal of sewage.
- The system of pipes, drains, and channels used to carry sewage away.
- The process or infrastructure of sewage disposal.
"The town invested heavily in its sewerage system to prevent sewage from contaminating the river."
"Authorities inspected the sewerage system after heavy rainfall flooded several streets."
"The construction of modern sewerage transformed sanitation in the rapidly growing city."
Usually used in the singular. The plural is uncommon and generally appears when referring to separate systems or installations.
"The survey compared the sewerages of several small towns."
Sewerage is the hidden circulatory system of a town, carrying away waste water while keeping streets and waterways cleaner.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sewerage come from?
Sewerage was formed in the early 19th century from sewer and the suffix -age, which forms a noun indicating a system, process, or collective arrangement. The older word sewer originally referred to a channel or conduit for carrying water or sewage. The related noun sewage developed through the influence of sewer, and both words reflect the long-standing practice of constructing underground channels to carry waste away from settlements.
How sewerage is actually used
The word is formal and is especially common in British English, though it is also used in American English. It is more commonly used for the infrastructure or system than for individual pipes.
Easily confused with sewerage
A sewer is an individual pipe, channel, or conduit that carries sewage, whereas sewerage refers to the entire network of such structures.