Planning for Water and Sewer Infrastructure
Water and sewer service is of major importance to municipalities due to their responsibility for the health of their citizens. The management and growth of water and sewer infrastructure also affects the vitality of existing towns and cities in other ways.
By focusing on revitalizing existing communities instead of promoting greenfield development, municipalities save money on water and sewer management. New infrastructure is expensive to build and maintain. The reduced tax base of many older communities cannot maintain existing water and sewer treatment infrastructure, much less afford to build the new facilities that support sprawl.
At the same time, clean water, non-polluting sewage disposal, and protection from damaging flooding are essential for retaining and attracting people and jobs to existing places. Though water and sewer programs should be planned and managed on a watershed basis, this responsibility falls largely on municipalities. This issue can begin to be addressed through multi-municipal planning efforts, which should consider water and sewer systems.
Clearly, the most cost effective approach to providing clean water is to protect the source. Zoning and land use controls are the primary tools for accomplishing this. For example, adequate setbacks from streams and wetlands can be required. Municipalities, counties and land trusts can also purchase land, or development easements, to prevent development that will threaten water quality. Zoning can also be effective in new suburban areas by requiring development to be compact, allowing a large percentage of sites to remain open and green. This retains space for active and passive recreation by residents, and allows for rainwater infiltration. This helps to minimize downstream flooding during storm events and replenish local water sources.
A wide range of organizations, programs and resources are available to assist with water and sewer planning, development and maintenance in the Mon Valley.