Abstract
Conventional sewage disposal technologies have long been a critical limiting factor of growth patterns. However, the advent of decentralized wastewater systems is weakening their influence. No longer constrained to areas where sewers can be economically extended or limited by the siting constraints of septic systems, developers are free to pursue projects wherever opportunities arise. In this paper, I examine what happened when this spatially liberating technology was introduced into an existing suite of regulations, jurisdictions, and actors involved in the development process. I found that while local governments are making rational decisions, they are doing so within limited spatial bounds. The collective result of their actions is, from a larger perspective, an uncoordinated development pattern. These findings indicate that spatially limited planning jurisdictions are incapable of containing this technology. In fact, their actions have actually compounded the problem of sprawl.
Recommended Citation
Curtis, Kendrick J.
(2008)
"Growth-Liberating Technology Meets Fragmented Regulation: Decentralized Wastewater Systems in Wilson County, Tennessee,"
The Geographical Bulletin: Vol. 49:
Iss.
1, Article 1.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/thegeographicalbulletin/vol49/iss1/1