YARMOUTH – A potential plan that regionalizes the wastewater treatment needs of three Cape Cod town was discussed this week by town officials from Harwich, Dennis and Yarmouth.
The $706 million plan calls for the wastewater from Yarmouth and Harwich to be sent to a treatment plant that would be built in South Dennis.
The plant on Theophilis Smith Road would streamline the treatment process and save the towns millions of dollars in operating costs.
“I think that this is one possibility that we need to further explore to reduce the cost associated with the wastewater solution,” said Yarmouth selectman Tracy Post.
Each town’s contribution to the costs for the plan are based on the number of gallons it sends to the plant.
At $325 million, Yarmouth would pay the most out of the three towns, but annually the town would be on the hook for up to $20 million, saving the town around $3.4 million per year if the system was regionalized.
Dennis would save about $4.6 million per year and Harwich $2.7 million per year.
“The good part about it is that each individual town still controls how it’s funded, their entire sewer system separately, but just sharing the one facility,” said Post.
The proposed regionalization plan came to light after the Cape Cod Commission updated its water quality management plan in 2015, that focuses on the removal of nitrogen from watersheds on the Cape.
There are four municipal wastewater treatment plants on Cape Cod in Falmouth, Barnstable, Provincetown and Chatham.
By JUSTIN SAUNDERS, CapeCod.com Newscenter
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