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In North Carolina a remote system is a decentralized wastewater treatment and dispersal system in which all or part of the dispersal field is within an easement, common area, or special purpose lot on a separate parcel from the building lot, or a system that is more than 500 feet from the facility. Remote systems were first used in Guilford County, NC in the late 1980s. At that time these systems were used as a last resort to remedy previously approved lots that were in reality unsuitable under the current rules. As land prices have increased and availability has decreased developers have turned to remote systems as a primary development strategy. This strategy has benefits to both the developer and the community. For the developer the number of usable lots is maximized; for the community the amount of open, green space or common area is maximized. Over the past several years Guilford County has been permitting remote systems under a county guidance document. Numerous mistakes have been made, however valuable lessons have been learned. Because of this the Guilford County Environmental Health Division developed a more comprehensive rule regarding remote wastewater systems. This rule addresses issues such as home owners association, tri party agreements, permitting issues, additional inspections, and the possibility of special design issues. In the summer of 2006 this rule was approved by the state (NCDENR) and the local board of health and went into effect on January 1, 2007.