MASSTC: A Premier Onsite Wastewater Treatment Research Facility

In the early 1990s, Barnstable County officials set out to tackle an undeniable environmental challenge to Cape Cod’s sensitive coastal ecosystems; it was clear that nitrogen from faulty and/or ill-placed septic systems was dramatically affecting our marine and fresh water environments, causing accelerated eutrophication and nuisance algae blooms.

In 1999, Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment officially established the Massachusetts Alternative Septic System Test Center (MASSTC) in conjunction with Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management’s Buzzards Bay Project. Since its inception, MASSTC has performed dozens of rigorous industry-standard certifications for new innovative/alterative septic system technologies. The self-sustaining facility, which is located near Otis Airforce Base in Falmouth, rents out space for research and development of promising new onsite wastewater treatment technologies by private companies. Further, Barnstable County staff who operate MASSTC have pursued and won several grants for groundbreaking original research on important topics ranging from constructed wetlands to nutrient and virus removal.

Following over two decades of successful operation, the MASSTC is known today to be a premier onsite wastewater treatment research facility.

To learn more about the important work being completed at the MASSTC, please visit The Project Hub | MASSTC. You can also access publications written by MASSTC staff regarding ongoing and completed research projects at Publications | MASSTC.

MASSTC in the News

It’s National Groundwater Awareness Week!

March 10th through 16th is National Groundwater Awareness Week (GWAW)! The National Groundwater Association (NGWA) encourages annual inspections of private water systems by certified water well contractors to ensure systems are operating […]

Read More

The Alternative: A Newsletter from the Massachusetts Alternative Septic System Test Center

Check out MASSTC’s most recent edition of their newsletter “The Alternative” featuring insights on urine diversion or “Pee-cycling”.

Read More

Mass Audubon’s Cape Cod Natural History Conference on Saturday, March 9th, Features Talk on Urine Diversion

Mass Audubon’s 2024 Cape Cod Natural History Conference will take place in-person on Saturday, March 9th from 8:30am-3:30pm at Cape Cod Community College’s Tilden Arts Center. Bryan Horsely, Environmental Project […]

Read More

The Alternative: Creating Space for Technologists to Tackle Wastewater Challenges on Cape Cod

Interested in joining the discussion about wastewater challenges on Cape Cod? Check out “The Alternative”, a weekly newsletter from Barnstable County’s Massachusetts Alternative Septic System Test Center! Read the latest […]

Read More

WBUR Collaborates with Scientific American to Spread Awareness about Nutrient Pollution from Septic Systems on Cape Cod

Big Press for Big Problems This week, WBUR, Boston’s NPR station, aired a two-part series about Cape Cod’s water pollution challenges. The series was part of a collaboration with Scientific […]

Read More

The Alternative: Creating Space for Technologists to Tackle Wastewater Challenges on Cape Cod

Interested in joining the discussion about wastewater challenges on Cape Cod? Check out “The Alternative”, a new weekly newsletter from Barnstable County’s Massachusetts Alternative Septic System Test Center!

Read More