New Water Technologies Bring New Troubles

"In 1995, the city of Olympia, Washington, took a fateful step toward achieving one of the goals in its growth management plan: In order to increase its density, the city eagerly embraced a new technology for the treatment and disposal of wastewater.

This spring, only a decade after adopting the new technology, the city temporarily banned it. Density had increased, all right, but the innovative sewage treatment system that fostered development had also created some headaches — mostly environmental ones. In imposing its three-month moratorium, the city said it needed time to sort things out. The next chapter of the story is about to be written."

[Editor's note:

Thanks to American Planning Association