Strategies for Rural Development in Areas with Limited Public Infrastructure: Alternative Septic Systems

Genl Management - Decentralized Water Systems

Communities also have multiple strategies to consider for the extraction, purification (if needed), and distribution of potable water to serve new development in growth areas that are not served by public water lines.   These strategies can be easily categorized using the same terms that were applied earlier to wastewater treatment systems:

The Maine State Planning Office’s Technical Assistance Bulletin #1, “Groundwater,” gives a good overview of groundwater resource issues, and offers policies and strategies for incorporating groundwater and drinking water concerns into comprehensive planning processes.  Some of the important considerations for selecting an appropriate management model include the environmental sensitivity of water resources in the community, potential public health risks, soil characteristics and site conditions in the management area that may determine both the size of leach fields and the need for additional pre-treatment technologies, and the desired density within the management area. 

 

 

Related Work Plan Components

Workgroup Contacts

In Aroostook County: Jay Kamm, Ken Murchison, Joella Theriault

In Washington County: Judy East