The final Oconee-Western Anderson sewer plan
The final Oconee County and Western Anderson County Sewer Master Plan is in the hands of the Joint Regional Sewer Authority, and it’ll be placed on the August meeting agenda for a vote. The 5th of August is the day the sewer commissioners also receive a second document on the feasibility of where piped sewer should go the next 20 years and what parts of Oconee should rely on septic systems. Chris Eleazer, JRSA executive director, envisions the master plan to serve as a guideline for piped sewer, the demand for which accelerates as Oconee’s population increases and developers undertake large scale housing projects in and around the triangle of the county’s three largest municipalities. Katherine Amidon of the company Bolton and Menk described what Oconeeans from several walks of life had to say about sewer future when they turned in 382 completed responses. Some Oconeeans are insistent that the county does not lose its rural characteristics they believe fast-growth threatens. Others call for smart planning, believing growth is unavoidable and that it’s time for increased development standards. What the study makes clear is that if the proper infrastructure is followed, which could include a second wastewater treatment plant, projected sewer costs will run into the millions of dollars.