Board authorizes RFP for remote-monitored in-yard wastewater systems as an option to septic or central sewer

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.