Georgetown, Del., Oct. 24, 2006: Sussex County engineers today outlined the County’s vision for expanded sewer service in the area around the Inland Bays, where projected development in the coming two decades will require needed infrastructure to protect the environment, safeguard public health and improve the quality of the waterways.

County Engineer Michael Izzo presented the Sussex County Council with the results of an 18-month-long study to examine the wastewater needs of the North Coastal Planning Area, a large swath of land in eastern Sussex County stretching from the northern perimeter of the Inland Bays, east of U.S. 113, north to the Kent-Sussex border.

Some of the homes and businesses in the region are already served by central sewer, but much of the study area falls within the Environmentally Sensitive Developing Area, a region surrounding the Inland Bays identified in the County’s 2002 update of the comprehensive plan. Some of that area is without central sewer service.

The plan outlined Tuesday would work to change that over the course of the next 20 years. The study presented to County Council calls for, among other things:

• Establishing three new sewer planning areas, in the Angola, Herring Creek and Goslee Creek areas. Currently, no central sewer service is available in those areas;
• Extending the Long Neck, Oak Orchard and West Rehoboth sewer districts;
• Expanding the Wolfe Neck and the Inland Bays regional wastewater facilities to treat and dispose of additional wastewater from any new development projected to occur in the identified areas through at least the next 10 years. The Wolfe Neck facility, near Rehoboth Beach, would expand from a working treatment capacity of approximately 3 million gallons per day to 6.5 million gallons per day. Meanwhile, the Inland Bays facility, north of Millsboro, would expand from 1.2 million gallons per day to 3.25 million gallons per day;
• Evaluating treatment and disposal alternatives for the Ellendale Sewer District to accommodate proposed growth within the town’s limits;
• Making various improvements to existing wastewater infrastructure (i.e. pump stations, underground pipes) to handle future capacity.

Mr. Izzo said the report presented to Council is an important planning tool for the County, as it provides a blueprint for servicing homes and businesses projected to be built in a growing and environmentally sensitive area.

“Our plan is to have the infrastructure in place before the growth occurs,” Mr. Izzo said. “That is responsible and prudent planning. We believe we need to be planning for wastewater service in this area. What we’re saying with this plan is, ‘If there is going to be development here, we have to plan for the infrastructure to serve that developing area.’ ”

There are no definitive cost estimates for the possible improvements unveiled Tuesday. Those figures would be clearer as the County moves into the design phase of any improvements.

Incoming County Administrator David Baker said the study represents a great deal of hard work, analysis and forecasting on the part of many people.

“I’d like to compliment the Engineering Department for taking these steps to plan for future growth,” Mr. Baker said. “This will help alleviate environmental problems that come from septic systems that still exist in the Inland Bays area.”