Local Lawmaker Says Title 5 Changes Long Overdue

June 26, 2023

Cape and Islands State Senator Julian Cyr (D-Truro)

HYANNIS – New Title 5 septic regulations have been announced by the state, and local leaders are saying the change is long overdue.

Cape and Islands State Senator Julian Cyr says the last time the mandates were updated was over 25 years ago, and the Cape’s water quality has degraded severely in that time.

“We welcome scores of people to come enjoy our pristine marine environment and yet 98% of estuaries and embayments on Cape Cod are impaired. So a tripling of the septic tax credit by the Senate is a huge boost in water quality efforts,” Cyr said.

Under the State Senate’s recently proposed tax relief bill, the maximum total credits for septic system upgrades would be $18,000, covering 60 percent of project costs up to $40,000.

“The tripling of the septic tax credit is going to help homeowners who might not have the option of hooking into a sewer, and we will help them upgrade those systems. So the updated regulations are a heavy lift, but they’re necessary, and we’re going to continue to partner with the administration to continue to bring resources to the region,” Cyr said.

The credits are in addition to other assistance programs, including Barnstable County’s AquiFund, which provides low-to-no-interest loans based on income.

The new septic mandates require those living near sensitive watersheds to upgrade their systems to updated standards unless their local town confirms it is working on other solutions to reduce nitrogen pollution, like sewering.