Nearly a million San Franciscans depend on it daily, yet they probably rarely give the city’s sewer a thought. Now a clever music-video spoof created by interns at San Francisco’s Public Utilities Department hopes to shine some light down the manholes and gutters of the intricate system, which is made up of 1,000 miles of pipe, 27 pump stations, and three treatment plants.

The video, “You Can’t Live a Day Without Me,” meshes a rap song explaining the importance and proper use of sewers with party scenes shot in the underground chambers themselves. Toilet paper streams down from the ceiling while Mario, the world's most infamous video-game plumber, dances wildly. Ex-49er Ronnie Lott makes a cameo appearance as the sewer club’s bouncer.

“We know we use the sewer, but we also don’t treat it the way we should,” says Desmond Abrams Hatter, a freshman at St. Mary’s college who wrote and performed the song’s verses. “That’s one thing I took away from the internship and from doing this song—just that, you know, it’s the small stuff. Just dumping something in the garbage as opposed to the sink or the toilet.”

Only three things should be flushed down the toilet: pee, poop, and paper, or “the three Ps,” as explained in this Christmas-carol spoof from Southern Water in the UK, another public utilities department that felt compelled to share its message through song. (Is it something in the water?)

There’s a lot that people may not understand about sewer systems, Desmond says. Their primary purpose, of course, is to treat wastewater from showers, toilets and sinks. Scrubbing away toxins and harmful bacteria may not be glamorous, but it’s crucial to deal with the messy realities of urban life.

“After the entire process, the water is put out in the Bay. It’s actually cleaner at that point than the water that’s already in the Bay,” says Desmond. “That’s how thorough of a system we have, but it could be better.”

For one thing, the infrastructure is a hundred years old. As Desmond puts it in verse three, “It’s aging, it’s just too old / It belongs in an old folks home.” While a plan to upgrade one treatment facility by 2022 is already in place, the SF sewers need more investment to keep things flowing efficiently and sustainably.

Despite its age, San Francisco’s system has incorporated some important innovations. Along with an increasing number of other municipal sewage systems around the country, it doesn’t just scrub water, but also converts the resulting sludge into 200 tons of nutrient-rich biosolid per day. Eight other environmental projects involving SF Water are currently underway as part of the same billion-dollar Sewer System Improvement Program that's bringing the operation into a greener future.

The rap video was produced by BAYCAT, a nonprofit that teaches digital media to underserved youth. It was inspired by a similarly funny video with an important public service message: the Oregon Dental Association's “Teach Me How To Brushy.”

While waste water treatment is no laughing matter, Desmond says, he hopes the video serves as a reminder that you can always have a little fun while raising awareness about important infrastructure issues.