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Discussion Paper March l2, 1998 Page 3 4 Public water supply is considered to be more reliable than private wells in urban azeas. Similarly, public sewer service is much more reliable than septic tanks in densely populated urban areas. When private on-site sewage systems fail, polluted effluent may contaminate groundwater resources and nearby streams and may present a threat to public health. Extending public services to locations where these circumstances exist is desirable in order to alleviate or avoid public health and environmental concerns. In the summer of 1997, OWASA had a consultant prepaze a comprehensive study of the unsewered parcels in developed neighborhoods within the OWASA service area. The consultant generally examined 1,000 septic systems with an average age of 30 years and found that 37 systems (four percent) were failing. The report also found that based on the Soils Survey for Orange County, only 16 percent of the total land within these neighborhoods is considered suitable for septic systems. The remaining 84 percent is considered to be mazginally suitable or unsuitable, which is expected to result in additional septic tank failures. The estimated construction cost to provide sewer service to the unsewered areas studied was approximately $17 million. Individual lot costs ranged from $9,000 to $29,000 per lot excluding Service Availability Fees and private service laterals. Since 1977, OWASA has received only one petition to extend water service. Due to the very limited interest and tack of documented problems with private wells, OWASA has not commenced a comprehensive study of the areas without public water service. jbr C:Vawite\tmigoldoo4epprts\vnpol_ I O.wn