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<br /> By Ronnie Hutchison &Jon Mott esidents of rural communities have many By the 1990s,Cow Bayou had become polluted to
<br /> of the same aspirations as city dwellers: the point that aquatic life was almost gone and no
<br /> RThey want controlled economic growth, one wanted to fish or swim there.Furthermore,
<br /> increased property values,clean water and a healthy the raw sewage meandering through local ditches
<br /> environment for their families.Cities assume a cer- was unsightly,smelly and unappealing to potential
<br /> tain level of economic growth and often take water homebuyers and developers. ,
<br /> utilities for granted.It is different for those who live Orangefield clearly needed a sewage collection
<br /> in small communities,where economic growth and and treatment system,but wondered where a rural
<br /> prosperity do not happen organically,but rather community would find money to fund the project
<br /> require careful planning and investment, if there is no taxing authority.
<br /> Making vacuum Orangefield,Texas,recently completed the first The effort to provide the town with water and
<br /> two phases of a wastewater collection and treat- sewage service began in the early 1990s with the
<br /> sewers a reality in ment project that already is paying dividends for development of the Orangefield Water Supply
<br /> Texas
<br /> its residents.Soon everyone in the area—at least Corp.(OWSC).By 2005,it had more than 1,700
<br /> Orangefield, Ike X as those who choose to participate—will have access water customers.Attention soon shifted to the
<br /> to a modern,efficient sewer system.It has taken community's need for sewers.
<br /> about 15 years and lots of hard work,but the com-
<br /> munity now has water and sewer infrastructure Planning the Solution
<br /> that will enhance property values and make life The OWSC got the ball rolling in 2000 with an
<br /> more pleasant for everyone in Orangefield. information campaign and sign-up program.The
<br /> board asked all interested residents to put down
<br /> A Growing Problem a deposit toward the development of a sewage
<br /> Orangefield,located about 20 miles from the system.The result was a$100,000 war chest that
<br /> Texas Gulf Coast,developed almost 100 years ago, enabled the board to begin researching solutions
<br /> The town grew rapidly during the oil boom of the to the problem.
<br /> 1920s,eventually reaching a population of 1,000 in The engineering firm J.F.Fontaine and
<br /> 1930.The population dwindled significantly over Associates was retained to begin a detailed
<br /> the next couple of decades,but climbed to more study of the situation.The firm not only pro-
<br /> than 2,000 by the most recent census, vided engineering consultation,but it also helped
<br /> Having never incorporated as a city,Orangefield Orangefield find the funding it needed for the
<br /> has no municipal government and,until recently, project.The U.S,Department of Agriculture's
<br /> ARTICLE S U M M A I=3 Y no public utilities.Homeowners were responsible Rural Development Department provided an ini-
<br /> for their own water and sewer,with most opt- tial funding package,but that was not enough,
<br /> Challenge:A lack of public utilities in rural ing for wells and septic tanks.Because the soil in Rural Development then re-examined the situ-
<br /> ingefield,Texas,caused severe sewer problems Orangefield is ill-suited to absorb selvage,many ation based on local income levels and was able
<br /> and environmental hazards. homes had untreated wastewater in ditches,some to provide additional money,including some fed-
<br /> along the front of their property.This certainly eral grants.With enough funding finally in place,
<br /> lulion: The town found funding and researched was unattractive,but it also created an environ- Orangefield was able to begin work on the first
<br /> and installed a vacuum sewer station. mental hazard.Sewage often made its way to two phases of the installation in July 2009,
<br /> nearby Cow Bayou,which is part of the Sabine The project engineers presented the town board
<br /> „onclusiow Investment in public utilities opens River Authority Watershed area, with different system designs for collecting sew-
<br /> doors for growth in rural communities. The sewer problem grew with the population. age.It quickly became obvious that a gravity sewer
<br /> APRIL 2012 • WATER & WASTES DIGEST
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