Wastewater management is among one of the most costly public services provided.  Of recent concern to local governments is the effect urban sprawl has on fiscal costs covered by local governments (Esseks & Sullivan, 1999).  Water services are forty percent, and sewer services are thirty-four percent more expensive when serving sprawled out housing patterns, as opposed to compact housing patterns (Duncan et al., 1989; Frank, 1989).  Factors of sprawl that effect these costs are the lot size, which determines distance between residences; tract dispersion, which determines distance between housing developments; and actual distance between residences and water and sewer servicing centers (Speir & Stephenson, 2002). 

America’s landscape is defined by sprawl.  Although the majority of the nation’s combined sewers are located in the northeast (EPA, 1995), urban sprawl is still an impending issue in that region.  Current sewerage abatements address environmental mitigation, which is paramount, but what about the issue of cost?  There is little mention in abatement plans about attempts to develop a plan that attempts to save environment while keeping costs low.  Communities reliant upon combined sewers now face two ever increasing fiscal cost factors which are sprawl and ongoing abatement projects.  America’s landscape is defined by sprawl.  Although the majority of the nation’s combined sewers are located in the northeast (EPA, 1995), urban sprawl is still an impending issue in that region.  Current sewerage abatements address environmental mitigation, which is paramount, but what about the issue of cost?  There is little mention in abatement plans about attempts to develop a plan that attempts to save the environment while keeping costs low.  Communities reliant upon combined sewers now face two ever increasing fiscal cost factors.  These factors are sprawl and ongoing abatement projects.  Inexpensive wastewater treatment designs do exist, and surprisingly can give more to the community than traditional wastewater treatment plants.  One such design which has had much success in various communities nationwide is the constructed wetland.  These designs cost less because they us less land, less energy, and less labor.