Webpage best viewed in Microsoft's Internet Explorer at 800 X 600 resolution.

    Hollister is presented with a major obstacle to housing and economic development --- unsuitable soil for traditional septic systems, and no county/city/municipal sewage service system. According to Wayne Short, Halifax County’s Soil and Water Conservation District’s soil scientist, the Hollister area has pockets of “good soil” but overall, from SR561 and County Road 1300 (north) to the Little Fishing Creek (east), the soil, in this area, is the least suitable for traditional septic systems in all of Halifax County. A report on Improvement Permit denials by Halifax’s Environmental Health Department reveals that in 2000, 9/16.4% of 55 permit denials were in the Hollister area with 3/33% of the denials judged to have no available option; 2001- 9/25% of 36 permit denials with 8 out of 9 with no available option; 2002 – 6/18% of 33 permit denials with 3 out of 6 with no available option.  The problem lies in lack of knowledge of alternatives, the higher costs of alternatives and limited expertise in designing and coordinating creative and innovative systems for multi-family units, housing developments and businesses.                  

     The Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe has partnered with Native Opportunity Way, CDC, Hollister REACH, and the County of Halifax to form an Alternative Systems Campaign Task Force.  Our efforts on this project include, but are not limited to:

1. conducting a comprehensive needs assessment

2. analysis of our current systems capabilities;

3. inform the community about alternative septic solutions;

4. attempt to develop and implement strategies that comprehensively address wastewater needs.