Agriculture is the primary land use in the greater Ellendale area while the Ellendale State Forest marks the area's north, south and western boundaries. The region lies on the drainage divide for seven creeks, and is within Delaware's coastal plain. This land tends to be flatter and wetter in nature than surrounding landscapes. The Issue Both the Town of Ellendale and the surrounding community are situated on land with generally poor soils and high seasonal groundwater levels. Most of the area cannot be permitted for septic tanks with conventional subsurface disposal systems under today's regulations.
System failures are a common occurrence.
In 1989, Sussex County received an indication of interest from some area residents about developing a community wastewater system to address increasing concern about such health issues as standing septic effluent and drinking water contamination. The County held a public hearing in the Ellendale Fire Hall and then proceeded to study the area and evaluate alternative-type systems for wastewater collection, treatment and disposal. It was at this time that the Town's elected officials indicated to the County that they opposed having the Town included in the proposed sanitary sewer district. The primary reason was the cost. The Delaware Code, which empowers Sussex County to construct, operate and maintain sewage facilities, prohibits the County from installing collection lines within an incorporated area without approval from the incorporated area's government in the form of an ordinance.