Report on the DeSoto County Wastewater Reclamation Facility Project and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals
1.0 Executive Summary
The DeSoto County Board of Supervisors has approved a rezoning request from the DeSoto County Regional Utility Authority (DCRUA) for the construction of a new wastewater reclamation facility. The project, situated on a 109-acre plot off Center Hill Road, is a significant infrastructure upgrade aimed at advancing local sanitation capabilities. While the project directly supports several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), it has faced considerable opposition from local residents, highlighting challenges related to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being).
2.0 Project Impact on SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
2.1 Modernization of Wastewater Management Infrastructure
The new facility represents a critical step towards achieving SDG Target 6.3, which aims to improve water quality by reducing pollution and increasing wastewater treatment. The project will implement modern technology to enhance sanitation services for the community.
- Technological Advancement: The facility will replace outdated lagoon-based treatment with an advanced activated-sludge process.
- Efficiency Gains: Treatment time will be reduced from 30 days in the current lagoons to a 24-hour cycle in the new facility.
- Pollution Reduction: The new process is designed to be odorless and will eliminate the environmental and health complaints associated with the existing lagoons, directly contributing to improved local water and air quality.
2.2 Decommissioning of Obsolete Facilities
A key outcome of this project is the decommissioning of three existing treatment lagoons, which have been a source of environmental concern.
- Braybourne Lagoon
- Fox Creek Lagoon
- Pinecrest Lagoon
By taking these sites offline, the DCRUA addresses long-standing issues of pollution and odor, thereby improving the living conditions for nearby residents and advancing the goal of safe and effective sanitation for all.
3.0 Implications for SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
3.1 Challenges in Participatory and Inclusive Urban Planning
The project’s planning and approval process highlights the complexities of achieving SDG Target 11.3, which calls for inclusive and sustainable urbanization. Despite support from local leaders, residents voiced significant opposition during a public hearing, citing several concerns:
- Proximity to Sensitive Areas: The site is located across from Center Hill Elementary School and near residential communities, raising concerns about the well-being of over 1,000 students and residents.
- Economic Impact: Homeowners expressed fears about potential negative impacts on property values.
- Public Health and Safety: Concerns were raised about the potential for system failures, power outages, and the release of volatile compounds into the air.
- Community Consultation: Some residents felt the decision was being made without adequate notice or consideration of alternative locations.
3.2 Development of Resilient Infrastructure (SDG 11.5)
The selection of the Center Hill Road site was heavily influenced by the need for climate-resilient infrastructure, aligning with SDG Target 11.5 to reduce the impact of natural disasters. DCRUA representatives and Supervisor Robert Foster noted that of seven potential sites considered, the chosen location was the most viable as it is situated outside the primary flood plain. This strategic decision aims to prevent future flooding issues that could arise from developing alternative, more vulnerable sites.
4.0 Alignment with Additional Sustainable Development Goals
4.1 SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being
The project directly intersects with SDG Target 3.9, which seeks to reduce illnesses from pollution and contamination. While the DCRUA asserts that the new facility is designed to eliminate the contaminants and health risks posed by the old lagoons, residents remain concerned about potential failures making the nearby elementary school a “canary in a coal mine.” The debate underscores the tension between planned technological improvements and public perception of health risks.
4.2 SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
The governance process reflects efforts toward SDG Target 16.7, which promotes responsive, inclusive, and representative decision-making. The Board of Supervisors engaged in a public process that included:
- An initial tabling of the proposal to allow for further review.
- Consultation with the DCRUA to address specific concerns, resulting in the facility being moved back an additional 26 feet to create a larger buffer zone.
- A public hearing where residents could voice opposition.
- A final, unanimous 5-0 vote to approve the rezoning.
5.0 Conclusion and Final Decision
The DeSoto County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the rezoning request, concluding that the project’s long-term benefits for regional sanitation and environmental health are paramount. The decision was made after considering resident feedback and securing commitments from the DCRUA to mitigate impacts, such as increasing the buffer distance from Center Hill Road. Supervisor Jessie Medlin, in whose district the facility will be built, motioned for the approval and pledged personal accountability for any future issues, stating, “If you have any smell down the road, call me and I will take care of it.” The project proceeds as a significant investment in sustainable infrastructure, intended to serve the county’s growing population while advancing key Sustainable Development Goals.
SDGs Addressed in the Article
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SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
The core of the article is about improving wastewater management by replacing outdated lagoon systems with a modern wastewater reclamation facility. This directly aligns with the goal of ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
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SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
The article highlights residents’ concerns about public health risks associated with the old and new facilities, such as “volatile compounds potentially leaching into the air” and “volatile gases leaking.” The new facility’s design, which aims to “minimize and eliminate the contaminants,” connects the project to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being.
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SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
The construction of a new “activated-sludge facility” represents an investment in building resilient, sustainable, and modern infrastructure. The decision to place it outside the flood plain to counter DeSoto County’s “vulnerability to flooding” emphasizes the focus on resilience.
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SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
The article discusses land use planning (rezoning 109 acres from AR to A), managing municipal waste (wastewater), mitigating disaster risks (flooding), and the process of community participation in urban development. These themes are central to making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
Identified SDG Targets
SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
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Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution… halving the proportion of untreated wastewater…
The project’s main purpose is to replace old lagoons, which are a “source of complaints,” with a modern facility that provides a “24 hour water treatment process without any smell.” This is a direct effort to improve water quality and increase the proportion of safely treated wastewater.
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Target 6.b: Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management.
The article details the “July 21 public hearing” where residents from “Forest Hill and Braybourne communities also voiced opposition to the location of the site.” This demonstrates a formal process for local community participation in a major sanitation project, even though their concerns did not change the final vote.
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
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Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.
Residents expressed concerns about “public health” and the potential for “volatile compounds potentially leaching into the air.” The new facility is explicitly “designed to minimize and eliminate the contaminants the traditional lagoon generates,” thereby aiming to reduce health risks from pollution.
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
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Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure… to support… human well-being…
The article describes the development of a new wastewater reclamation facility. Its resilience is a key consideration, as the chosen site is “the one out of seven considered sites to be the most outside of the flood plain” to address the county’s “vulnerability to flooding.”
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
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Target 11.5: By 2030, significantly reduce… the number of people affected and… direct economic losses… caused by disasters, including water-related disasters…
The decision to select a site outside the flood plain is a direct measure to mitigate risks from flooding, a water-related disaster. A supervisor noted that building elsewhere would “cause flooding that we can’t necessarily predict.”
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Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to… municipal and other waste management.
The project directly addresses municipal waste management by upgrading the system. It aims to reduce the adverse environmental impact by replacing problematic lagoons with a facility that has “no smell” and eliminates contaminants.
Indicators for Measuring Progress
Target 6.3 (Improve water quality)
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Implied Indicator: Number of outdated wastewater facilities decommissioned.
The article states the new facility would “take the Braybourne, Fox Creek and Pinecrest lagoons offline.” The decommissioning of these three lagoons is a concrete indicator of progress.
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Implied Indicator: Wastewater treatment time.
Progress can be measured by the reduction in treatment time “from a 30-day time for waste to be stored in lagoons down to a 24 hour water treatment process.”
Target 3.9 (Reduce illness from pollution)
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Implied Indicator: Air and water quality measurements.
While not explicitly stated, resident concerns about “volatile compounds” and the promise of a facility with “no smell” imply that progress could be measured by monitoring air quality for pollutants and odors around the new site compared to the old lagoons.
Target 9.1 (Develop resilient infrastructure)
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Implied Indicator: Investment in new resilient infrastructure.
The article mentions a cost of “$10 million to move it to this site,” which represents a quantifiable investment in new infrastructure.
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Implied Indicator: Proportion of new critical infrastructure located outside of disaster-prone areas.
The fact that the facility was sited specifically because it was “the most outside of the flood plain” is a direct measure of building resiliently.
Target 6.b (Community participation)
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Mentioned Indicator: Existence of participatory processes for planning.
The article’s description of the “public hearing” and the tabling of the proposal to address a supervisor’s concerns serves as evidence of a participatory mechanism being in place.
Summary of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation | 6.3: Improve water quality by reducing pollution and increasing wastewater treatment.
6.b: Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management. |
– Number of outdated lagoon facilities decommissioned (3). – Reduction in wastewater treatment time (from 30 days to 24 hours). – Existence of a public hearing process for community input. |
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | 3.9: Substantially reduce illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air/water pollution. | – Elimination of smell and airborne contaminants from wastewater treatment (qualitative). – Monitoring of air quality for volatile compounds (implied). |
| SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure | 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure. | – Investment in new infrastructure ($10 million). – Siting of critical infrastructure outside of disaster-prone areas (flood plain). |
| SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities | 11.5: Reduce the number of people affected by water-related disasters.
11.6: Reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, focusing on waste management. |
– Selection of a construction site outside the flood plain to mitigate flood risk. – Transition from problematic lagoons to a controlled wastewater reclamation facility. |
Source: desototimes.com
