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Board authorizes RFP for remote-monitored in-yard wastewater systems as an option to septic or central sewer
Summary
After technical presentations, the board approved advertising an RFP to solicit proposals for county-operated, distributed (in-yard) wastewater treatment systems that are remotely monitored and report monthly to DEP. Presenters said the technology can be deployed quickly and could reduce nutrient loads; commissioners asked about ownership, costs and long-term maintenance.
County staff and technical presenters described distributed wastewater treatment systems — compact, remotely monitored micro-treatment plants installed at individual parcels and operated centrally — as an alternative to conventional septic or waiting for central sewer. "Technology has given us an alternative — it is a micro wastewater treatment plant that is in your backyard," said Hershel Vineyard, one of the presenters, noting DEP testing and a new expedited permitting pathway in state law. Presenters and staff said the units are monitored 24/7, report monthly to DEP and can be operated under a county ownership/operation model in which home owners pay a monthly sewer fee rather than manage complex equipment themselves.
Commissioners asked about upfront costs, monthly fees, repair risks and whether the county would hold permits; presenters said up-front installation for a home is commonly in the ballpark of low-to-mid tens of thousands of dollars (figures vary by unit and site) and that ongoing maintenance and repair are covered by the monthly fee to the county-operated utility. The board voted unanimously to advertise the RFP to gather competitive proposals and pricing data.
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