Once
wastewater is flushed or goes down a drain, homeowners give
it little thought. However, those responsible for building,
operating, and maintaining wastewater infrastructure often
think about where this water goes and how it is conveyed
and treated. With each new budget year, the federal dollars
invested into America’s aging
infrastructure diminish. In turn, water utilities nationwide
find themselves struggling to find cost-effective means for
providing essential wastewater treatment services to existing
customers as well as to customers in
developing areas where infrastructure currently is not in place.
As
communities continue to develop and populations expand outside
of existing wastewater service areas, larger utilities, small
communities, and counties are faced with important questions.
Should the larger utility invest in additional infrastructure
and expand its service area? Should the smaller community or
county invest in the development of its own system? Should
the larger utility and smaller government or community partner
to develop a solution? Or, should those who choose to reside
in these areas be responsible for treating their own wastewater
through the installation of individual onsite systems or a
small, resident-owned plant?
In
some areas, evolving regulations and technologies for smaller
package treatment plants are making it cost-effective for
the development of small, rural and suburban systems. As
a result, in Alabama a number of these types of systems have
been constructed in areas encroaching on existing wastewater
utility service areas. While this approach is a solution
in some areas, it creates challenges and questions in others.
For example, who is responsible for operating and maintaining
a small system owned by members of a community? Who is responsible
if the treatment system fails and violates provisions of
the Clean Water Act? What will happen if the larger utility
expands its service area to and beyond that of the smaller
system?
The
Montgomery Water Works and Sanitary Sewer Board (Board) is
facing these issues and questions in their existing service
area as the Montgomery metropolitan area continues to expand.
This presentation focuses on how these issues are being resolved
by the Board. In addition, insight on how service area conflicts
are being resolved in other parts of the country, such as
through regionalization, the formation of sanitary
districts, and cooperative agreements, will be presented. |
