Category: Water and Wastewater

Barnstable County Receives EPA Grant to Develop a Low-Cost Wastewater Utility for Advanced Onsite Septic Systems

September 26, 2022

September 26, 2022 (Barnstable, MA) | Utilizing Bipartisan Infrastructure Law grant funds of $1.15M from the US EPA’s Southeastern New England Program (SNEP) and $100K from The Nature Conservancy, the County is in the process of implementing a regional Responsible Management Entity (RME) Program over a 5-year period. The […]

September 19-23rd is Septic Smart Week!

September 21, 2022

EPA’s SepticSmart program is a nation-wide initiative to share information on the proper care and maintenance of septic systems and encourage public stewardship in caring for these wastewater treatment systems. […]

Barnstable County Commissioner’s Adopt a Proclamation for SepticSmart Week: September 19-23rd

September 21, 2022

The proclamation, signed by Barnstable County Commissioners on September 21, reads as follows: WHEREAS, proper septic system use and routine care are vital to protecting public health and preserving our […]

The New Republic: Vacation Towns Have a Controversial Poop Problem

September 2, 2022

In the following excerpt, The New Republic author Keely Larson interviews Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment’s Brian Baumgaertel, Director of the Massachusetts Alternative Septic System Test Center (MASSTC). […]

Wastewater’s Impacts On Natural Dye Plant Growth & Color

July 19, 2022

What if wastewater wasn’t waste at all? What if the valuable nutrients excreted from our bodies could be captured and recycled for useful means? Out at Barnstable County’s Massachusetts Alternative Septic […]

WCAI: Managing Wastewater – Practices and Technologies to Keep our Bays, Estuaries, and Aquifers Clean

July 14, 2022

July 13, 2021 | WCAI’s The Point host Mindy Todd interviews Brian Baumgaertel, Senior Environmental Specialist with the Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment, Director of the Massachusetts Alternative Septic […]

Experimental Solutions to Reduce Nitrogen Pollution on Cape Cod

June 14, 2022

Article from The Nature Conservancy June 10, 2022 | The New England way of life depends on our water quality. Everything from our drinking water and food to recreation and […]

WCAI’s The Point: Protecting our Water

June 8, 2022

June 2, 2022 | Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment Senior Environmental Specialist Brian Baumgaertel and Barnstable County Cooperative Extension Hazardous Materials Environmental Specialist Kalliope Chute discuss best practices […]

From the Cape Cod Times: Marstons Mills homes test nitrogen-removing septic wastewater system