Utility Services

Water, sewer, electric, telephone and other services may be unavailable or not operate at urban standards. Repairs can often take much longer than in towns and cities. 

Telephones

Telephone communications can be a problem. It may be difficult to obtain another line for fax or computer modem uses. Even cellular phones will not work in all areas.

Sewers

If sewer service is available to your property, it may be expensive to hook into the system. It also may be expensive to maintain the system you use. If sewer service is not available, you will need to use an approved septic system or other treatment process. The type of soil you have available for a leach field will be very important in determining the cost and function of your system. Have the system checked by a reliable sanitation firm and obtain a permit from the Jasper County Environmental Health Department.

Water

If you have access to a supply of treated domestic water, the tap fees can be expensive. You may also find that your monthly cost of service can be costly when compared to municipal systems.

If you do not have access to a supply of treated domestic water, you will have to locate an alternative supply. The most common method is use of a water well. The Jasper County Environmental Health Department issues permits for most wells. The cost for drilling and pumping the well can be considerable. The quality and quantity of well water can vary considerably from location to location and from season to season. It is strongly advised that you research this issue very carefully.

Electric Power

Electric service may not be available to every area of Jasper County. It is important to determine the proximity of electrical power, as well as special power needs. It can be very expensive to extend power lines to remote areas. It may be necessary to cross property owned by others in order to extend electric service to your property in the most cost efficient manner. It is important to make sure that the proper easements are in place to allow lines to be built to your property.

Electric power may not be available in single phase and three phase service configurations. If you have special power requirements, it is important to know what level of service can be provided to your property. If you are purchasing land with the plan to build at a future date, there is a possibility that electric lines (and other utilities) may not be large enough to accommodate you if others connect during the time you wait to build. The cost of electric service is usually divided into a fee to hook into the system and then a monthly charge for energy consumed. It is important to know both costs before making a decision to purchase a specific piece of property.

Outages

Power outages can occur in outlying areas with more frequency than in more developed areas. A loss of electric power can also interrupt your supply of water from a well. You may also lose food in freezers or refrigerators and power outages can cause problems with computers as well. It is important to be able to survive for up to a week in severe cold with no utilities if you live in the rural areas.

Trash & Recycling

Trash removal can be much more expensive in a rural area than in a city. It is illegal to create your own trash dump, even on your own land. It is good to know the cost for trash removal as you make the decision to move into the country. In some cases, your only option may be to haul your trash to the landfill yourself. Recycling is more difficult because pick-up is not available in all rural areas.