The sewer-versus-septic-system controversy on Marco Island has been so emotional for so long it could be a miniseries on the Lifetime channel or an Ultimate Fighting bout at Germain Arena.

Soon, however, the conflict will have a new focus — the cost of stopping the sewer program in midstream.

Money has been at the heart of the heat all along. Some sewer opponents claim septic tanks are sanitary, safe and environmentally friendly, but for most islanders who oppose sewers, it seems to be all about the money.

Now comes specific money talk from a former City Council member and longtime advocate of sewering Marco, John Arceri. His information comes from city officials who may release details soon, if they haven’t already done so by the time you read this.

Question: What would be the cost to Marco islanders if the sewer program were halted? That could happen if an anti-sewer majority wins City Council elections in January.

Here’s a glimpse of what the city officials believe would be the cost of stopping the sewer project early next year:

• About $31 million spent to date on engineering, lift stations, plant expansion, planning and piping would be considered “stranded,” that is, of no use.

• About $4 million would be needed to expand the present drinking water facility. That’s because total sewering would provide more than 200 million gallons of reusable water per year for condo irrigation. That would save about 12 percent of drinking water now used for irrigation. Without that savings, we’d have to expand the drinking water plant. And it’s not in the budget.

• Twenty-eight condo buildings have reusable water lines installed, awaiting that 200 million gallons that won’t be there if the sewers are stopped. Condos would have to continue paying $3.48 per 1000 gallons of drinking water for irrigation, instead of reusable water at $1.04 per 1000 gallons.

There’s a lot more devil in the details, but the impact of killing sewer expansion would be dramatic in water/sewer rate increases for everybody.

Those on sewers would pay more because others are not being sewered. And we septic people would pay extra utility costs for stopping sewers we didn’t get. Intangible costs are tough to calculate, but neighborhoods with sewers probably would have higher property values than comparable areas without.

It’s also likely state authorities might mandate sewers within a few years or at least require regular inspections and maintenance of septic systems and upgrades to newer, more expensive septic systems when old systems fail.

Experts say septic systems have at most a 20- to 25-year lifespan if properly maintained. On Marco, I’m told, 31 percent of homes are older than 25 years.

Bottom line: If the sewer plan is killed, water/sewer rates would increase for every Marco dwelling, sewered or not, to finance the consequences of not finishing the job.

About 85 percent of Marco dwellings and all businesses will be on or committed to having central sewers by the end of this year, officials say.

Left on septic systems will be 2,607 single-family homes, scheduled for central sewer by the end of 2011.

Those who want to kill the sewer plan may dispute all this. I await their numbers. It will be issue No. 1 in the election 68 days away.

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Don Farmer is a former ABC News correspondent and a CNN anchor. E-mail: don@donfarmer.com.

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