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ORLEANS CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE

ORLEANS CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE. ORLEANS CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE. FIRST OF A SERIES OF WASTEWATER PUBLIC EDUCATION PRESENTATIONS LEADING TO A COMPREHENSIVE WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN. ORLEANS CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE. AGENDA August 17, 2006

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ORLEANS CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE

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  1. ORLEANS CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE

  2. ORLEANS CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE • FIRST OF A SERIES OF WASTEWATER PUBLIC EDUCATION PRESENTATIONS • LEADING TO A COMPREHENSIVE WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN

  3. ORLEANS CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AGENDA August 17, 2006 1. How Orleans Waters Become Polluted 2. Septic Systems – Title 5 Shortcomings & Alternatives

  4. AGENDA (continued) 3. Massachusetts Estuaries Project 4. Technical Evaluation Report and TMDLs 5. Cape Cod Water Protection Collaborative 6. DEP Regulatory Role 7. Zoning timed with Wastewater Planning 8. Funding Wastewater Infrastructure 9. Next Educational Steps 10. Questions and Answers

  5. THE WATERS OF ORLEANS PART I • How are the ponds and estuaries of Orleans becoming polluted? PART II • Why are current Title 5 Septic Systems not doing enough to preserve our water quality? • What alternative systems are currently available?

  6. WE HAVE TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING • Nitrogen and Phosphorus are essential nutrients of all life; but at higher than normal levels these nutrients become pollutants • Too much nitrogen contaminates our salt waters • Too much phosphorus pollutes our fresh water

  7. WHAT ARE SYMPTOMS OF TOO MUCH NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS? • Greener & murkier water • Algae blooms • Declining numbers of fish and shellfish • Loss of desirable aquatic plant life

  8. ALGAE IN PLEASANT BAY ESTUARY

  9. SOURCES OF NITROGEN • ~ 60% of nitrogen comes from natural resources • From the atmosphere as acid rain and other air pollutants • Not controllable by man

  10. SOURCES OF NITROGEN (continued) • ~ 40% of nitrogen comes from man-made sources • Of this, 70% is from septic systems • Of this, 30% is from overuse of fertilizers and road runoff • This portion is controllable • Emphasis is on wastewater

  11. IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND MORE CLEARLY HOW THIS POLLUTION IS HAPPENING, IT IS HELPFUL TO TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT THE WATER CYCLE

  12. HELPFUL WATER FLOW TERMINOLOGY

  13. ORLEANS’ DRINKING WATER COMES FROM MUNICIPAL WELLS THAT TAP INTO ONE AQUIFER • Orleans is on the Monomoy lens • Good news – Orleans watershed for its wells is currently fully protected

  14. WATERSHEDS: PATHWAYS TO OUR PONDS, WETLANDS AND ESTUARIES • Runoff reaches its discharge point relatively quickly • Groundwater moves slowly – maybe 1-2 feet a day. This means that it could take 5-10 months for groundwater to travel the length of a football field.

  15. Map of Orleans

  16. SEPTIC SYSTEMS Part II • Why are current Title 5 septic systems not doing enough to preserve our water quality? • What alternative systems are currently available?

  17. HOW BACKYARD SEPTIC SYSTEMS WORK Each septic system consists of • A tank – a cement or fiberglass container with a T-shaped outlet pipe that keeps the floating grease layer in the tank and lets the solids settle to the bottom • A soil absorption system that infiltrates the liquid portion of the wastes into the ground • The Board of Health oversees this process and enforces the state sanitary regulations with Title 5 • Outflow generally 30-35 ppm (parts per million) of nitrogen

  18. Typical Backyard Septic System

  19. PERFORMANCE OF SEPTIC SYSTEMS • Septic systems effectively eliminate almost all unsanitary bacteria and any viruses, but not nitrogen • Nutrients like nitrogen are not removed during their transit through the soil absorption system, so they proceed into the groundwater, and eventually into the estuaries

  20. ALTERNATIVES TO TITLE 5 SYSTEMS 1. CENTRALIZED WASTEWATER SYSTEM The provision of public sewerage through a conventional collection system leading to a publicly owned wastewater treatment plant with effluent disposal 2. ENHANCED ON-SITE SYSTEMS Individually owned system which provides some nitrogen removal from the wastewater

  21. ALTERNATIVES (continued) 3. CLUSTER SYSTEMS Systems for wastewater collection, treatment and disposal that involve multiple wastewater generators. Typically clusters systems have capacities between 1,000 and 5,000 gallons per day. 4. SATELLITE SYSTEMS Wastewater treatment facilities serve a closely defined area and have flows exceeding 10,000 gallons per day. These systems require a groundwater discharge permit. Many of the satellite facilities on Cape Cod have been built to serve condominium projects, schools, nursing homes, and shopping centers.

  22. EXAMPLE OF ON-SITE ENHANCED SYSTEM Hearth ‘n Kettle Restaurant, Orleans • Designed to handle 7,000 gallons per day • Treatment technology: above grade Bioclere trickling filters • Reduces total nitrogen levels to less than 25 ppm • Equal to 16 four-bedroom homes

  23. BIOCLERE FACILITY

  24. EXAMPLE OF CLUSTER SYSTEMS Wise Living, Orleans • Designed to handle 6,400 gallons per day • Treatment technology: Aerobic trickling filters and anoxic denitrification tank • Reduces total nitrogen levels to less than 15 ppm (parts per million) • Goal is to reduce total nitrogen to 10 ppm • Nitrogen limit resulted from town involvement • Equal to 15 four-bedroom homes

  25. EXAMPLE OF CLUSTER SYSTEMS (continued) Bailey’s Path, Chatham • 20 home subdivision • Designed to handle 6,600 gallons per day • Treatment technology: biological trickling filters • Reduces total nitrogen levels to less than 19 ppm • Once the subdivision is completed, the treatment facilities will be run by the homeowners’ association. • One lot in the subdivision serves the site as the wastewater treatment facility and a tennis court and access to bike trail. • Equal to 15 four-bedroom homes

  26. EXAMPLE OF SATELLITE SYSTEMS Chatham Bars Inn, Chatham • Restaurant and 205 bedrooms • Designed to handle 35,000 gallons per day • Treatment technology: Amphidrome system (sequencing batch reactor) • Groundwater discharge permit by DEP • Nitrogen levels 10 ppm or lower • Equal to 80 four-bedroom homes

  27. EXAMPLE OF SATELLITE SYSTEMS (continued) Community of Jesus, Orleans • Designed to handle 21,000 gallons per day • Treatment technology: rotating biological contactor and denitrification filters • Reduces total nitrogen levels to less than 10 ppm • Groundwater discharge permit by DEP • Equal to 48 four-bedroom homes

  28. COMMUNITY OF JESUS PLANT

  29. AGENDA (continued) Massachusetts Estuaries Project Technical Evaluation Report and TMDLs Cape Cod Water Protection Collaborative DEP Regulatory Role Zoning timed with Wastewater Planning Funding Wastewater Infrastructure Next Educational Steps

  30. MASSACHUSETTS ESTUARIES PROJECT(MEP) • Examining water quality degradation from too much nitrogen in 89 southeastern MA estuaries • Multi-year $12M collaboration of DEP and SMAST (County annual matching funds) • From water sampling, determines nitrogen sources, amount (lbs); predicts loading threshold to restore water quality

  31. MEP (continued) • Goal: restore shellfish habitats and eel grass beds by keeping nitrogen concentration below loading threshold (TMDL) • Achieve goal by wastewater treatment/disposal systems, storm-water runoff management, fertilizer limitation, improved tidal flushing

  32. Technical Evaluation Reports and TMDLs • SMAST Report provides estuary water quality evaluation data; TMDL establishes nitrogen threshold amount • TMDL: maximum concentration (lbs) of nitrogen allowable for water quality goal maintenance • TMDL components = atmospheric deposition, septic systems, stormwater runoff, margin of safety • For shared estuary/watershed, DEP allocates percentage of nitrogen removal responsibility to each town to comply with TMDL

  33. CAPE COD WATER PROTECTION COLLABORATIVE • New regional entity, to assist towns in planning, financing wastewater infrastructure and services • Governing Board/Steering Committee, made up of town and regional representatives, establishes policies and oversees operations/activities • Executive Director/staff provides daily management • Technical Advisory Committee offers engineering, planning coordination support

  34. COLLABORATIVE (continued) • Collaborative gives regional focus/clout in getting federal and state funding for town facilities development • Collaborative educates the public on economic value of maintaining Cape estuaries water quality by cooperative regional action

  35. MASS DEP'S REGULATORY ROLE • The Federal government enacted Clean Water Act • Massachusetts DEP accepts the role and sets criteria for implementation • Southeast Regional Office (DEP/SERO) is assigned the responsibility • DEP/SERO organizes Massachusetts Estuaries Program (MEP)

  36. DEP ROLE (continued) • As part of the MEP program, UMASS Dartmouth (SMAST) is engaged to develop modeling procedures on quantifying pollutant discharges • As part of the MEP program Orleans volunteers collect data from nutrient sampling and submit it to SMAST • U.S. Geological Survey and DEP identify local and regional watersheds

  37. DEP ROLE (continued) • DEP, based on SMAST calculations assigns Total Maximum Daily Load/Limits (TMDLs) to each watershed • Orleans engages Consultant to recommend actual means, methods, and sites for TMDL management • DEP reviews and approves Consultant’s recommendations, designs, and program • DEP ultimately issues permits for nutrient reduction within each watershed

  38. In summary, DEP becomes the oversight body for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the overall process of assuring that a proper program is researched, established and implemented for the communities involved DEP ROLE (continued)

  39. TOWN PLAN VISION STATEMENT "It is the policy of this Town to ensure that future growth is at a level and in such a manner that it will have no or minimal adverse effect upon the semi-rural character and environmental integrity of the Town."

  40. BUILDOUT & ZONING WITH WASTEWATER PLANNING POPULATION (Year round) • 2004 POPULATION = 6,700 RESIDENTS • 400% increase since 1958 BUILDOUT (Total development possible under existing regulations) • In 40 years under current growth rates Now = 6,700 residents + Potential = 4,600 Buildout = 11,300, a 67% increase

  41. CONSEQUENCES OF ORLEANS GROWTH Estimated Wastewater Flows • CURRENT: 779,000 gallons per day • BUILDOUT: 1,301,000 gallons per day • 67% increase

  42. CONSEQUENCES (continued) NITROGEN LOADING • 1958: • 1,682 residents = 9,755 pounds per year released • 2004: • 6,700 residents = 38,860 pounds per year released • 2044: • 11,300 residents = 65,540 pounds per year released SEASONAL POPULATION PROJECTS AN ADDITIONAL 70% TO THESE TOTALS (Estimate is that each resident contributes 5.8 pounds of nitrogen/year)

  43. ZONING CHANGES THAT MIGHT BE ADDRESSED • Wastewater plan (CWMP) is to be “growth neutral” • Any increased density (e.g., in Village Center) would need to be offset by zoning changes (decreases) elsewhere

  44. WASTEWATER PLANNING TO DATE • 5 full years of Town-wide testing of fresh and salt water completed • Consultant hired to complete plan by 2008 • Coordination with adjacent towns has begun • Investigating funding mechanisms

  45. VILLAGE CENTER MASTER PLAN • Planning now to anticipate future growth and activity • Buildout projections indicate ample room for growth • Considering allowing 3rd story for residential use • Desirable uses such as theatre, restaurants, public halls will be more likely with central sewer available

  46. FUNDING FOR THE WASTEWATER INFRASTUCTURE Overview • Implementing a Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan (CWMP) will involve significant capital costs • Funding for capital costs will come from several areas, over 20 to 25 years • Ongoing operation and maintenance (O&M) costs will probably be funded by the users • Debate about options for capital and O&M costs will precede CWMP approval

  47. FUNDING (continued) Capital Costs for Implementing CWMP • Solutions to wastewater challenges could be several - central, satellites, clusters, etc. • Costs of installation (capital) are expected to be large

  48. FUNDING (continued) Potential Sources of Funds for Capital Costs • External • Federal government • Massachusetts Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) – low cost loans • Cape Cod Water Protection Collaborative – grants to towns

  49. FUNDING (continued) TOWN OF ORLEANS • Property tax revenues - spreads cost over entire tax base (like schools) • Betterment payments – assesses current and future users, various methods • Issuing bonds – paid over time from tax revenues or betterment fees

  50. FUNDING (continued) TOWN OF ORLEANS • New taxes – e.g., Chatham & M.V. 1% real estate sales tax (MA approval required) • Escrow accounts – owners set aside funds in advance • Public/private partnerships – provides needed land or infrastructure • Likely outcome will be some combination of these sources

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