How does stuff from our toilets in our house make it to sewage treatment centers? Any websites?

Question

I'm curious how waste from our toilets, #2, go from our house all the way to sewage treatment centers. Doesn't it have to be downhill all the way so it flows? How to cities master plan this to make sure everything is downhill? Or are there pumps and stuff?

Answer 1

This site should help you out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sewage_coll...

Answer 2

You are right.  Most are engineered to use gravity feed.  However some systems must use pumps.  In our area a Swiss vacuum system was installed as the treatment center is higher than us.  The pipes are smaller than usual sewage pipes and the waste is collected "sucked" to  pump stations and then pumped up to the treatment plant about 10 miles away.