FALMOUTH – More objections were made to the state’s proposed changes concerning septic system regulations at a recent meeting of the Falmouth Select Board.
Plymouth/Barnstable State Senator Susan Moran spoke about the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s proposal at the board’s November 21 meeting.
In an effort to prevent excess nitrogen from polluting estuaries, the Title Five changes would require towns to either apply for watershed permits or have septic system owners make costly upgrades.
The upgrades would call for about 15,000 Falmouth property owners to add innovative / alternative systems (I/As) to their current systems over the next five years. Moran said the upgrades could cost roughly $30,000 per installation.
Moran said that if Falmouth had to apply for watershed permits under the state’s proposed changes, the town would need to apply for a permit for each of its estuaries.
“That would give the DEP the power to mandate millions of dollars of sewering within a 20-year timetable, which is well beyond what Falmouth is currently planning to be able to afford,” Moran said.
She said Falmouth has already laid out objections to the plan since it has over ten estuaries, more than other towns on the Cape that typically only have one or two.
“We’re going to further those objections in testimony before the DEP between now and December 14,” Moran said.
By Brian Engles, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
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