Summerfield: Waste Water Could Be The Main Issue - Letter to Editor

As the Town of Summerfield continues its discussion of changing the RS-40 (one acre per house) residential zoning requirement, we need to look at the impact that an increased development density and cluster development will have on our community. We hear all the concerns about the impact on wells and our water supply; however, the impact from wastewater is a more serious concern. All of our water has to go somewhere! We flush our toilets, drain the bathwater, run the washer and all is good as long as the water goes down the drain.

In the county, we all have septic systems that are designed around the number of people living in a house. These septic systems require a septic tank, maybe a pump tank, and land for a drain field. They are living systems using natural bacteria to break down the human waste, detergents, soap, food waste, and whatever we may flush down the toilet or pour down the drain. The bacteria operate in the septic tank, feeding on the waste, growing, multiplying, and then dying. What’s left is the sludge from dead bacteria cells and sand or dirt that gets in the water.

The clear water from the septic tank drains out to the septic field where it is treated further by a bacteria mat that forms in the septic drain field. All is good when it works, but it does require maintenance. Sometimes the septic systems fail to cause back-ups and use of a new septic field that is called repair areas included in the original sizing. Sometimes they fail without anyone noticing.

So why should we be concerned if they fail?

When they fail, untreated sanitary wastewater leaks up to the surface or drains into groundwater. E.coli and fecal coliform contamination are significant concerns. We not only have to be concerned with our groundwater, but in Summerfield, the watershed goes either to the City of Greensboro water source or to the Haw River, where we have recreational areas. Could this occur in Summerfield?

To answer that, let’s look at another area outside a city in the Piedmont region with similar soils and rainfall, Gwinnett County, Georgia. The area experienced rapid growth in the 1970‟s as a bedroom community to the Northeast of Atlanta.

Septic systems were installed for all the residential homes and they grew to a density of 487 septic systems per square mile. That’s important, as our current RS-40 zoning is one septic system per acre or 640 per square mile! A study by JOHN R. ANDERSON, II under the direction of Lawrence Kiage, dated 12/15/2010 at Georgia State University mapped the distribution of septic systems to determine regions of potential pathogen surface water contamination and addressed what potential health risks do high-density septic systems have on surface water quality. The findings were not positive as it was found that the density of septic systems has reduced the surface water quality for streams in their River basins. Just average rainfalls caused septic flushing and an increase in fecal coliform occurred in streams and water bodies. Other trends observed in the surface water were increased BOD water temperature and various metals.

The EPA calls 40 septic systems per square mile, high density. Gwinnett County had 487 per square mile in 2010 and had significant water quality problems. Summerfield currently has RS 40 zoning rules that limit the density to 640 per square mile. That is 16 times EPAs definition of high density and even higher than Gwinnett County! Therefore, based on the data that is readily available, this could happen in Summerfield. Our wastewater and septic systems have the potential to impact our water quality.

We need to study the impact a change in zoning could have on our water quality and investigate correct lot-sizing and the effect of clustering septic systems, which have been shown to cause issues in other studies. To proceed with any rezoning discussion without studying our wastewater's impact on our water quality is irresponsible to the environment and our community.

Costs for the installation of a wastewater collection system and the associated operating expense need to be evaluated separately. Considerations on who pays for the construction and operation of the system must be clarified. Also, who would be required to pay for the hook-up fees of existing homes if density exceeds the point where water quality is impacted?

From a Professional Engineer with 35 years in the Environmental field including Subsurface Contamination; Clean-u and, Operating, Designing, and Building Wastewater Treatment Plants in the US and around the World. MS Environmental; Civil Engineering, BS Chemical Engineering; BS Biological Sciences.

We recently moved here to Summerfield because it is a rural, beautiful location. So many historical sites to see! A person who bought 650 acres now wants to expand and make a fortune. We know that is the future, the town must grow, but it should be organized growth to preserve our way of life and pleasant scenery. We really don’t want to be in Greensboro North, but rather Summerfield with our own well and septic system. We would have moved to Greensboro proper if we had wanted to live in the city. We have lived in other cities where the city took over, and we then had to pay exorbitant prices for a water system and other changes. Our bill was $600 a month for water alone. We drank bottled water and took two showers a week. Greensboro will be operating at a deficit for fiscal years 2020 and 2021, along with prior years. Why would we as a community want their mismanagement and misappropriations of funds and expenditures passed on to us? The United States is losing farmland at a staggering rate. I think it’s about time we start halting development in agricultural areas before we all regret it. According to the American Farmland Trust, we lost 175 acres per hour of agricultural land lost to development – 3 acres per minute. Preserving our safe town is a significant concern to me and trying to keep our taxes low. For many of those living on the streets that will adjoin the access to the development, the increase of traffic must be a serious concern.