# sewage

/ˈsuədʒ/ (US) · /sˈuːɪdʒ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sewage
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. waste water

noun · CEFR B2

the mixture of water and waste that comes from toilets and sinks and goes into pipes.

For teachers: liquid and solid waste matter carried off by sewers; typically a suspension of water and organic waste from domestic or industrial sources.

- The city built a new plant to treat sewage before it reaches the ocean.
- Environmental regulations require the facility to treat raw sewage to a high standard before discharging the effluent into the local river system.

### 2. the pipe system

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

the system of pipes used to carry waste away.

For teachers: the system of sewers or the process of removing waste; a synonym for sewerage.

- The old town had a very simple system of sewage that often leaked.
- The Victorian engineers revolutionised urban health by installing a comprehensive sewage system beneath the city's main thoroughfares.

Usage: In modern English, 'sewerage' is preferred for the infrastructure, while 'sewage' refers to the waste itself.

## Examples

- The city pumps sewage into the river.
- The new plant treats sewage before releasing clean water back into the lake.
- Modern infrastructure relies on complex networks to transport sewage away from densely populated urban centers efficiently.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.