Doughoregan Dooty

One of the major bones of contention over the proposed Doughoregan Manor development plans is the possible inclusion of pretreatment facility for the sewage generated by the new homes. Though the plans call for the 325 new single family homes to be connected to the county’s public water and sewer system, new environmental regulations may require some pretreatment before the effluent is sent down the pipe to the county waste treatment facility in Savage.

This is not at all comparable to the problem plagued private sewage system at the Villas at Cattail Creek, though opponents have often pointed to that situation as a reason why this development should not move forward.

In fact, in testimony at last weeks public hearing on this issue, Marsha McLaughlin, the Director of Planning and Zoning, stated in her testimony that the current facility has adequate capacity to handle these new homes and that the “county is interested in exploring the pretreatment option because federal and state standards are changing.”