Wastewater Planning and Administration Concerns along Southeastern U.S. Coast

Abstract

A survey of 166 southeastern U.S. coastal jurisdictions reveals numerous wastewater planning and administration problems in that region. Findings may not be unique to southeastern coastal systems. The survey finds that a very high percentage of the sanitary sewer systems in this region are in need of major improvement and yet do not apparently have resources available to perform improvements: Some jurisdictions must impose connection restrictions, moratoriums, or merge their systems with others; a quarter of the jurisdictions with sanitary sewer systems are adversely impacted by the sewer extension and expansion policies of nearby jurisdictions; package treatment plants cause many problems for jurisdictions that allow them; and that most jurisdictions without sanitary sewers plan to install them within three years to abate widespread failure of septic systems. Responding jurisdictions report some need for increased financial assistance to make required improvements to avoid incompliance with state and federal agencies. There is need for greater local control over the operation and management of package treatment plants in some jurisdictions, and regional level, coordinated sewer‐system planning in many areas.