Agree they should use common sense when placing these plants. One thing though, the plants take in dirty water and discharge cleaner water. To a river, stream or creek. Thats why they are usually near rivers, streams or creeks. People don’t want to pay for miles of piping on the outgoing end to place them a “safe distance from the creek”.
Additionally waste runs down hill which means it flows to the low point, in this case a creek. Unless you want the extra expense of multiple pump stations then you have to take it to the low areas.