New Castle County Council is debating a proposal by Artesian Water Company to privatize the sewer system in the area between the state line, the Canal and the Delaware River. Much of the recent development in the area has been concentrated in the town of Middletown, but any new development will be subject to the county’s strict Unified Development Code (UDC).

In 1999, the County Council approved the building of an estimated $100 million sewer system to service those in the region. This would eliminate the need for individual well and septic systems, which take a toll on groundwater reserves and can contaminate wells and waterways. When it became clear that development was redirecting in Middletown and the project was not going easily support itself, the council began reviewing other options for servicing the region. Artesian Water Company and its wastewater partner, Aquastructure, have come forward with a plan to extend sewer service to southern New Castle County on a development-by-development basis for profit.

The privately run system would require some modifications to county and state law, but would offer the same services as the county system. The county has already begun the process of buying farmland for the treatment plant and application of up to 1.2 million gallons of treated wastewater a day. So far, $15 million has been spent on 951 acres of land. In the initial stages, the plant would serve 4,000 homes, but could perhaps carry over 26,700 eventually. Almost 50 miles of pipes would be required to complete the plan.

Septic systems are known contributors of pollution to groundwater and surface water. In 1994, research was done on the homes around Moore’s Lake. After the elimination of 100 septic systems, the groundwater lost its nitrate load at a rate of 0.33 mg/l per year. Of the nonpoint sources of nitrogen that enter the Appoquinimink River every day, scientists estimated that 168 lbs could come from nonpoint sources, such as septic systems. An estimated 5.4 lbs/day of phosphorous could enter the river from septic systems. These estimated loadings may be overstated for several reasons, including the changing of septic regulations in the late 1980s and the instigation of new management measures to require pump outs every three years. Routinely pumping out a septic system can remove almost 48% of total phosphorous, thereby limiting the amount leaching into the soil.

The council member representing the district in question feels that resident wishes should be considered above all else. The Delaware News Journal’s May 5th issue quoted Councilwoman Patty Powell as saying, “The people affected should be the people who have the say.” The council decided to hold a public meeting to discussion the options on May 12th at Middletown High School.

Whether the residents were opponents or proponents of the plan, they were extremely passionate and had no qualms about expressing their opinions to their council members. Some at the meeting expressed the opinion that sewer services would increase the amount of growth and drastically change the idyllic landscape, one of the primary draws of the area. Long-time residents said that a sewer will prepare and control future growth, which is needed after the boom of the last few years. Both sides of the debate were united in their distrust of privatization. One resident expressed his worry that fees would double. Others are concerned that the county is taking the easy way out by allowing Aquastructure to take over.

Currently, there are several choices for New Castle County. The first is to complete the original $100 million dollar plan, conceived in 1997. They could also scale back the plan to meet the current demands of the area. The council could decide to turn the project over to Aquastructure and Artesian and privatize the sewer in this region of the county. Alternatively, the council could decide to abandon the idea of a sewer system, permitting future residents to be subject to larger, more expensive lots to allow for stricter septic regulations. The council will decide whether to approve the budget with the inclusion of the $100 million project.