Why don't we just replace all the water and sewer mains if they're such a problem?

This is cost prohibitive. Water line now costs about $75 per foot to install, and Alpine Lake has nearly 35 miles of line. There are 5,280 feet in each mile. Sewer mains also are expensive to reline or replace – approximately $45 per foot for re-lining as opposed to roughly $75 per foot for full replacement, including manholes. We could not afford to BOTH replace or reline sewer mains AND replace our aged and worn out plant. By replacing the plant and using an equalization basin to deal with the overflow problem for now, we buy time to repair the lateral problems gradually. Our engineers recommended this approach as the most financially viable solution to our wastewater problems, and the regulatory authorities agreed.

We are working steadily to improve our system within the limits of our staffing and financial resources. Smoke testing is currently being used to identify where a sewer repair is needed.