Wastewater Recycling Generates Higher Land Values

House and Lake

Lake Champlain is one of the most beautiful and environmentally well-protected freshwater lakes in North America.

Forming the border between the states of Vermont and New York, this lake quality has regulatory bodies carefully governing wastewater disposal around its shores. As a result, this has escalated the value of properties which can utilize community sewerage connections or smaller treatment equipment offering state of the art technology.

One such product is the Cromaglass Batch Treat recycle process. This system enabled a property owner in the town of Colchester, VT on the eastern shore of the lake just south of Canada to recover a nearly valueless property.

The approved conventional on-lot treatment method was a septic tank and sand mound - but the size required would not fit on this lot. However, Cromaglass distributor Bundy Sewer & Drain Service of South Burlington, VT, approached the town engineers with an alternative which was acceptable. This consisted of a remotely monitored recycle system with the highly treated effluent being used year round for toilet flushing, as this is the best mode for water use reduction.

The effluent is also used for irrigation of plants and flowers during temperate seasons. During freezing weather, a valve must be activated by the inspector, and verified in writing to the town engineer, changing flow of the treated water from irrigation to a reduced size sand mound.
 
This reduction of disposable effluent allowed the nonconforming lot to be developed into a very valuable property. From the standpoint of the local government, this now returns five times the taxes than during its previous evaluation.