Decentralized Sewer Unit Packages as an Alternative for Bulloch County to Manage Fast Growth

Throughout the state of Georgia, rural areas rely on septic tanks to dispose of bodily waste for small commercial, industrial, and residential construction. Septic tanks act as the most conventional system when properties fall outside the service areas of municipal and private wastewater treatment facilities. Bulloch County has a vast number of rural dwellings within its boundaries. Moreover, the County experienced a steady 3 to 5% annual growth over the last several years. Therefore, an examination of alternatives to the traditional septic systems is warranted if the County wishes to maintain continued sustainable growth. This study focuses on the factors driving growth in Bulloch county including: population, housing, commercial and industrial development, subdivision development, assessed property values, and future development projections. Next, we compare two waste disposal systems that could substitute for traditional septic systems: a Small Diameter Gravity System (SDGS) and the Bioclere Onsite Wastewater Treatment System. Working Paper Number 2005-001