The Falmouth Enterprise: County Program Could Assist Town in Implementing I/As
Barnstable County is offering Falmouth a chance to take part in a program that could help regulate septic system technologies as residents begin installing them around town.
The water quality management committee received more details on how the Septic Utility Program (SUP) would work from its manager, David Iorio Izzo, during its meeting on August 14. SUP is a program offered by the Massachusetts Alternative Septic System Technology Center (MASSTC), through the county.
The state Department of Environmental Protection released regulations last year, pushing Cape towns like Falmouth to address nitrogen pollution and clean up their coastal water bodies within a certain time frame. While the town is working to expand sewering in dense areas of town, some neighborhoods will not be sewered. In those cases, homeowners will likely need to invest in innovative/alternative (I/A) septic systems. The town will ensure state regulations are followed by filing watershed permits with the state for each of its impaired waterways, accompanying them with plans for cleaning up those water bodies over the next several decades.
Since regulating I/A septic systems would require a lot of work on the town’s part, Barnstable County is offering to take on that job for the town through the Septic Utility Program. The program could act as a support system for the town and the residents who need to buy and maintain 1/A septic systems. Septic support system staff would be able to manage anything from permitting and installation to long-term maintenance and operation of the I/A systems.
Mr. Izzo was back before the committee recently, having already presented to them earlier this summer, to offer more information on how the program might work in Falmouth and how it could support the committee’s larger mission.
Overall, the county would help make sure that I/A systems are operating as well as possible, while complying with state regulations, he said. Mr. Izzo added that program staff would make sure I/A technology followed Falmouth and state requirements, whichever regulations are more strict.
The program objectives center around the town’s need for consistent I/A management that is cost effective for residents. Mr. Izzo said residents could take advantage of oversight from the program on operation, maintenance, sampling, inspection and installation. County staff also plan to educate the public and contractors on I/A technology, how it works and what systems would work best for each resident, a part of the program.
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