The Wellfleet Board of Health is working on regulations that would require owners of central county properties with cesspools and failing septic systems to switch to innovative/alternative septic systems.
In a joint meeting with the Selectboard on Dec. 10, they exchanged rationales for proposed regulations and discussed a wide range of topics.
The need for these regulations comes after the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection issued new regulations for wastewater treatment plants. The department identified nitrogen-sensitive areas on the Cape where nitrogen pollution has affected coastal waters. Homeowners in affected areas would be required to transition to innovative/alternative wastewater systems by July 7, 2030 unless their city receives a watershed permit by July 7, 2025.
The Port of Wellfleet is a designated Critical Environmental Hazard Area and nitrogen enters the port from the central district. Nitrogen pollution threatens water bodies and their wealth of natural resources. Photo taken July 21, 2015. Merrily Cassidy/Cape Cod Times
Wellfleet is working on a watershed management plan, but it will take time to complete. A sewer system is in the works, but sewer district boundaries and the capacity of a wastewater treatment plant have not yet been determined.
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What is known is that the Port of Wellfleet is a designated Critical Environmental Risk Area and nitrogen flows into the port from the Central District. Nitrogen pollution threatens water bodies and their wealth of natural resources.
“It’s time to start the cleanup,” said Health Committee Chairman Nick Picariello. “The sooner the better for everything that lives in the port and for those who work in the port. “If the port closes, the city is in trouble.”
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Septic tank regulations fall under the purview of the Board of Health, but committee members pepper it with questions. How could the city ensure residents were treated fairly when an upgrade was needed? Should a property owner be required to upgrade a system only to have to pay for a sewer connection when it becomes available in seven to ten years? Could the city somehow offset these costs? How would cesspools and failed wastewater treatment plants be identified? And who would oversee upgrades?
Robert B. can be seen in this photo from July 6, 2023. Our workers, Dan Ulmer, left Bill Quigley and Niya Bryce and began refilling a new sewer system they had installed in Hyannis. Cape Cod Times/
There are 300 to 700 septic tanks in Wellfleet, according to health agent Heath Martinez. The state considers all cesspools to be failed systems, which is why they were targeted first. However, finding installers and sourcing the number of systems needed to replace them could be challenging.
A manufacturer Martinez spoke with said the company plans to open an office on the Cape because of new state regulations. Much of the Cape has been classified as an area of particular concern due to nitrogen pollution in coastal waters. Bulk purchases and installations could provide savings to property owners who need to make improvements.
Wellfleet's board is considering provisions for financial difficulties
Selectboard Vice Chair Michael DeVasto and member Ryan Curley expressed several concerns about the proposed regulations and any future regulations that may be enacted. Curley said a broader discussion is needed around the sewer district and that the city should make provisions for people in financial difficulty and those with affordable housing with limited ownership.
DeVasto said equity is critical in rolling out the system. He questioned the need for people in the proposed sewer district to pay for septic tank upgrades and then for connections when the sewer lines are completed in seven to 10 years. Innovative/alternative systems can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Picariello said the sewer district plan will be ready for presentation in January. Identifying cesspools and enforcing regulations is at least a start, he said. The board needs to evaluate future regulations and adjust management plans as needed, he said.
Health Committee Vice Chairman Ken Granlund agreed and said the regulations are in the works.
“There is urgency,” said committee member Sheila Lyons. “Our water is currently deteriorating.”
Denise Coffey writes about business, tourism and issues affecting Cape residents and visitors. Contact her at [email protected].
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This article originally appeared in the Cape Cod Times: Wellfleet tackles nitrogen remediation in the Central District
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