Rural sprawl takes two forms. The first is low-density residential development that is scattered outside of villages, suburbs, and smaller cities. The second type of rural sprawl is commercial strip development along arterial highways leading into and out of villages, suburbs, and smaller cities. Rural sprawl creates a host of planning challenges. Rural residential sprawl usually occurs away from existing central sewer and water.
Homeowners rely on on-site septic systems and on wells for water.
Often, these systems are not properly sited or not properly maintained. For example, a 1998 study in the Indiana reported that between 25 and 70 percent of the on-site septic systems in the state were failing. When septic systems fail in large numbers, sewer and water lines must be extended into the countryside, often a mile or more. Public sewer is priced according to average cost pricing. This means that when sewer lines are extended, there is a strong incentive to encourage additional hook-ups along the line.