HYANNIS – Title 5 septic regulations are going to become stricter soon, potentially requiring residents to make $30,000 to $50,000 upgrades to their systems, but local water experts say that there is financial help out there.
Barnstable County Wastewater Division Director Brian Baumgaertel said the county’s recently revamped Aquifund was designed specifically to help alleviate the water quality issue gripping the region.
The initiative provides low-to-no interest loans for those who meet certain criteria.
“The key qualifiers for the lowest interest rates are both being in the correct income brackets and then also being part of some sort of a nitrogen reducing town wide solution, so you’ve been told by your town ‘you shall do this now’,” said Baumgaertel.
Individuals will only have to upgrade if they live nearby sensitive watersheds and if their local town does not show it is working on solutions like sewering.
Recent proposals by the state senate would also triple the septic tax credit.
“Right now, anybody who installs a septic system to replace a failed system I think you can get up to a $3,000 credit and the state is looking to increase that, I believe, to $18,000 per household,” said Baumgartel.
“It can be a pretty substantial savings.”
More on the Barnstable County’s Aquifund can be found here.
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