Affordability in housing is one of the biggest challenges we face right now. Past decisions not to expand or invest in wastewater treatment facilities in the northern half of the county are holding back growth and pushing housing costs higher. When new homes rely on private wells and septic systems, each house needs more land, systems can be expensive depending on soil and site conditions, and additional land often must be set aside for repairs. All of that adds up, making homes more costly and putting many families at a disadvantage.
Our county is not going to stop growing. The real question is: How do we manage that growth so the people who live here now can still afford to stay? Even if we stopped all new development tomorrow, the cost of running the county would continue to rise year after year. Without a broader tax base, homeowners will keep shouldering more and more of the property tax burden.
That’s why we need to grow our commercial tax base, not just build more homes. Businesses help carry the load by contributing sales tax revenue and creating jobs—relieving some of the pressure on property taxes and stabilizing long-term revenue.
By investing responsibly in expanded wastewater treatment capacity inside Orange County, we can attract more commercial development and allow denser housing where infrastructure already exists—without forcing every new project onto large lots just to accommodate septic fields. This means planning for more density in and around Hillsborough, Chapel Hill, and Carrboro, where utilities and services are already in place, while keeping our rural areas truly rural.
If we let development grow up instead of out, we can add homes and businesses without sprawling into farmland and open space. That helps preserve the rural buffer and natural beauty that brought so many of us here in the first place.
I understand that when people hear “increased density,” some get nervous. But refusing to grow responsibly puts us at risk of being priced out of our own county. My goal is to pair smart land-use planning with better transportation investments—working with NCDOT to address congestion, improve traffic flow, and design future development with future growth in mind.
I want your kids and my kids to be able to afford to live in the county they grew up in. That only happens if we invest wisely in infrastructure and plan responsibly for the future.
Fact Sheet: Economic & Affordability Impacts of Wastewater / Sewer Investment
Wastewater infrastructure is one of the strongest economic engines available. A national study for the Value of Water Campaign finds that closing the U.S. water infrastructure investment gap would support $220 billion in economic activity and 1.3 million jobs annually, and that every $1 million invested creates about 15 jobs across the economy.
Wastewater systems are a foundation for rural economic opportunity. The Urban Institute reports that long-term underinvestment harms economic sustainability in rural communities—restricting business development, threatening operations, and weakening employee recruitment.
Sewer service is essential for cost-effective housing development. Growing Together Connecticut explains that the most cost-effective and environmentally responsible way to build housing is in compact, sewer-served communities. Septic systems severely limit density: while small projects can sometimes use septic, multifamily, commercial, and industrial projects generally require sewer. Without sewer, towns are pushed toward large-lot, low-density development, which increases land and infrastructure costs and worsens affordability.
Sewer capacity limits are already blocking needed housing. A Connecticut Public report highlights that limited sewer and water service is a common reason towns deny or downsize affordable housing proposals, directly linking irastructure constraints to higher housing costs.
States are beginning to link sewer expansion to affordable housing goals. In Connecticut, a proposal supported by Growing Together CT would require sewer authorities to plan for regional affordable housing needs and dedicate at least $50 million annually to sewer expansion.
Failing or absent wastewater systems bring health and economic risks. The EPA’s Closing America’s Wastewater Access Gap initiative notes that failing systems pose health hazards and block economic growth. The EPA now provides no-cost technical assistance to help communities access federal funding.
Under-investment increases long-term costs and burdens households. The 2024 Congressional Research Service report—drawing on EPA data—estimates national wastewater needs at $630 billion over 20 years, warning that delayed investment raises long-term costs and worsens affordability.
Millions of households already face unaffordable water bills. According to the EPA’s 2024 Water Affordability Needs Assessment, 12–19 million U.S. households struggle with affordable water and wastewater service, amounting to $5.1–$8.8 billion in unaffordable bills per year. Reducing infrastructure costs is identified as a key strategy.
Local case example: infrastructure limits can stall affordable housing. In Greenwich, Connecticut, a planned 170-unit redevelopment (including 51 affordable units) was scaled back because the existing sewer agreement could not handle the projected wastewater load—showing how sewer limits can be a binding constraint on housing supply.
