7. Conclusion

As we have seen in this article, there are alternatives to centralized sewer systems. They are sustainable and sufficiently reliable.

Instead, they must be limited to areas where it is absolutely impossible to connect homes to a public sewer system. In the case of new construction, the local government must carefully assess whether to issue a building permit in areas where it cannot provide public sewer service.

Allowing on-site sewage treatment to enable construction in certain areas while shifting the cost of sewage treatment to individual households is unfair. Centralized sewage treatment allows for cost-sharing, which is not possible with on-site sewage treatment.

Overreliance on on-site wastewater treatment systems can also lead to urban sprawl, which results in longer commutes—often by car—and more difficult...