ABSTRACT. Arguments are presented in favor of modeling sewer systems and in particular Dutch sewer systems as a sampled data system with events. Basic limitations on controlling these systems when ignoring their hybrid nature are stated. The traditional control scheme for the Dutch systems is given as an example of event driven local control. Basic limitations on systems using a sampled data approach without an event driven component are derived. To provide context a brief description of a sampled data controller for a sewer system based on set-point tracking is given. This is followed by an explanation of how the absence of event driven control limits its effectiveness.