Objectives of the Alternative Systems Project
Our Alternative Septic Systems Campaign has proceeded as planned. The Halifax County Board of Commissioners received funding from North Carolina Rural Center, which made possible the hiring of an engineer to do a feasibility study regarding a sewer system in our area.
Green Engineering has completed the majority of the road profiles required to layout the sewer system to serve the area. Service will be included for all existing water users in the defined Meadows Sewer District. Due to the significant change in elavation throughout the service area, a combination of gravity sewers and pressure sewers is being proposed. It is their initial intent to serve the more densely developed areas including the highway business corridor along NC 4 (NC 561) with gravity sewers.
A proposed collection system throughout the more sparsely developed outlying areas would be a pressure system, which will require each dwelling or business to install a self contained grinder pump system. This type of system is used extensively in rural areas such as this section of Halifax County.
Green Engineering will next evaluate two treatment and disposal options for the wastewater generated from this service area.
The Halifax County Commissioners will now serve as the Board of Directors for the Meadows Water and Sewer District. They have consented to working fully with us and have seated an Advisory Board made up of community members.
The final report from Green Engineering has been received along with a recommendation for Phase I.
The County Commissioners have directed the Advisory Board to review the report, take it to the community for recommendations and prepare a report. The Advisory Board will work along with the existing fifteen (15) member Task Force to assist in reaching out to the communities with this information. The Task Force will also provide the Advisory Board with input from their respective communities.
All the while the Alternative Systems Project is moving forward here, there will be workshops in other places to attend and information to be brought back. These workshops are not only a learning opportunity concerning wastewater systems but they are also an opportunity to network with other organizations that are doing the same or similar projects. Through interaction with these organizations we get new ideas to help us better implement our programs and also get a "heads up" about problems we might encounter and how to solve them.
May 16th: The Advisory Board will be traveling to Jackson in Northhampton County to view the wastewater treatment facility. That facility is an example of what we could implement here. A report of their findings will be added here after the trip.
June 20th: Advisory Board Meeting at Hollister R.E.A.C.H. Community Center
