Wellfleet Board of Health
Minutes of Meeting of June 26, 2002
Senior Center, Long Pond Room
Present: David Breen, Chair; Betty Kimball, Lezli Rowell, Geoffry Karlson, Zel Levin; Health Agent Emily Beebe
Chair Breen called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Workshop on Wastewater Management. The Board of Health plans to use the first meeting of each month to conduct town business (hearings, appeals, etc.) and the second meeting of the month to discuss pertinent issues. This meeting's major topic was Wastewater Management Districts and their significance to the Town of Wellfleet. Health Agent Beebe began the discussion by supplying background: she has been talking for guidance with Brian Dudley, who has been working on the Estuaries Project with Umass and Smass. Mr. Dudley discussed with her doing a wastewater analysis; he understood that the Town Meeting had voted against a "big pipe" and felt that the development of a wastewater plan needs to be a first priority. Ms. Beebe is Wellfleet's
representative to the county Wastewater Implementation Committee and has learned that grant money is available for wastewater study, application for which needs to start with developing the scope of the work. A model for needs assessment must be developed; this can be used first for the central district and later adapted to other areas such as Lieutenant Island and Indian Neck.
Discussion ensued of the ways of obtaining grant money (use of a grant writer such as Alice Boyd, use of an agency such as Coastal Zone Management) and of uses for such grants (hiring of a consultant to lead the BOH through wastewater planning process). Beebe suggested that the Board might plan not for a "big pipe" but for small alternative systems in smaller districts, perhaps with a big pipe for Commercial and Holbrook Streets. She stated that in order to develop wastewater management a community needs 3 years of data on "TDML," total daily maximum level of nitrogen, which Wellfleet already has. Asked by Geoff Karlson the number of testing areas in the data, she replied that she needed to study the data and that careful organization of all
data is a priority. She suggested that a meeting/workshop schedule might be established.
Geoff Karlson asked if, in discussing needs assessment, the Board would identify potential projects in Wellfleet. Lezli Rowell suggested looking at ground water as an equal resource with receiving bodies (i.e., harbor water). Betty Kimball mentioned the 1987 study done on failing septic systems; Beebe added that the Board might need to define what "failing" means, becoming very specific in that definition. She stated that removal of nitrates would be a real goal, that there was a necessity to really micromanage wastewater. Kimball emphasized that information disseminated by the Health Agent and through public education would be helpful here.
Karlson, speaking of his study of the research done on the impact of ground water on the harbor, commented that as of now no one has been able to say that there is an impact on Duck Creek and the outer harbor. Unless the BOH can establish that there is excess nutrient in the harbor, it cannot find scientific evidence that the harbor is under threat from groundwater; Karlson stated that the Board needs such evidence. Ms. Beebe stated that Brian Dudley thinks the Estuaries Project will give Wellfleet (with some modeling) target levels for nitrogen; he does not expect that the BOH project will find that ground water quality will be the single tie with harbor quality. Beebe commented that dredging might need to be done in Duck Creek. Lezli Rowell stated that
shellfish culture has the ability to remediate nitrates and that the Board might look at the aquaculture industry as one of the tools to manage nitrogen.
Karlson stated that the problem of the harbor is one issue: groundwater and drinking water is the other component. He hoped that the thrust of this study is an increase in separation of wells and septic systems; Rowell pointed out that the majority of the town's lots are not sizable enough to have a ¾ acre well site separation. Chair Breen commented that if 97% of Wellfleet is out of compliance, the Central District is the first place to begin, but how far does the Board carry the study? Ms. Beebe replied that it should go through the town: Downtown, Ocean Drive, Indian Neck, Lieutenant Island, Old Wharf Road. Ms. Rowell demonstrated ground water contours on a map from Woodward and Curran which helps to identify the 4 foot contour line and to prioritize
areas.
In a discussion of goals, the following were identified:
Improving ground water quality
Establishing the Board's criteria for concern
Identifying problems
Coming up with specific measurements and criteria (e.g. nitrate readings of wells)
Establishing categories of standards (e.g. federal drinking water standard of 10 mg/liter)
The problem of contamination of drinking water was discussed. Zel Levin asked whether, if 20 foot wells were having a ground water problem, why not take them down 40 feet? Rowell answered that such wells would then be in danger of salt water (sodium) contamination. David Breen stated that Karlson had touched upon the idea that nitrate levels are assumed to be indicators of septic contamination and had asked for proof, which would be difficult to achieve. He continued that he is in a quandry about septic systems influencing wells. Health Agent Beebe stated that a well in old septic system bed will produce high nitrate levels. Breen stated that the question is that morbidity and mortality tables do not show people "dying like flies down here," but that older people might be put in disease mode by something in the well water. Beebe responded that the question might be: "Do you really want to drink septage, whether you get sick or not?" She added that there had been rumors of
links with nitrates to bladder cancer, but no hard and fast links had been proven; she emphasized, however, that the Board has the responsibility to enforce the state and federal drinking water standards. Geoff Karlson added that there is evidence that viable contaminants can exist for months in the ground water. He asked what the BOH's responsibility was. Beebe replied that the Board needed to find its "comfort level," its tolerance level: 10 mg/l is the standard; should it be greater or less?; 100 feet is the separation; should it be more or less? She cited Lezli Rowell's point about shallow wells, in that in escaping one contaminant, one may encounter another.
In connection with Ms. Beebe's discussion of the implication of selling properties and the impact that a failed system has upon the sale, automatically demanding a nitrogen-reducing system on the septic, the subject of frequent septic pumping was introduced. Lezli Rowell suggested that allowing people to pump septics more frequently rather than calling these systems failed might be part of wastewater management, allowing for maintenance pumping. Betty Kimball suggested education as helpful to homeowners faced with frequent pumping; Ms. Beebe added that she checks with the pumper to see whether the pumping is for maintenance or whether the system is overflowing. She suggested that the Board needed a punch list to identify problems. The following list was compiled:
Where are the failed septic systems? Define failed. Are they hydraulic failure or failed by a certain numerical setback to the resource area? In the case of ponds, what is the real setback number for ponds?
There is a need to redefine the central/downtown district, the initial area of concern.
There is a need to define standards.
Well zones which are varianced need identification.
Areas with elevated nitrates need to be identified.
Nitrogen-loading areas need to be identified.
The Board also noted that the scope of the work should be to (1) assess wastewater regime on sensitive receptors and (2) assess those impacts it believes are of concern and require remediation.
Health Agent Beebe asked the Board to bring back to the table sources of funding. David Breen suggested enlisting the aid of George Heufelder; Lezli Rowell suggested that the Seashore might help with collection of water samples. Beebe stated that the EPA website places grant applications on line and that Wellfleet is still classified as a rural area, but that chances are diminishing for getting funding for rural areas.
Lighthouse Restaurant and Bottled Water. Health Agent Beebe informed the Board that the Lighthouse Restaurant was displaying signs which indicated that bottled water was to be sold re: Board of Health requirement. Geoffrey Karlson moved and David Breen seconded the motion that a letter be written to the proprietors of the Lighthouse Restaurant regarding language used in signage which implied that selling of bottled water was by order of the Board of Health; this letter should ask that the signage employ clear language indicating that bottled water was being sold as a conservation measure, not to counteract a public health risk, and that mention of the BOH should be removed from these explanatory signs. The motion passed unanimously, 5-0.
Septic Installers' Examination. Discussion turned to the septic installers' exam to be given to Bobby Martin as part of his probation process to be allowed to receive his license again in Wellfleet. Geoff Karlson asked how long a time lapse should be allowed between failure and the next taking of this exam. Lezli Rowell suggested that there should be a limit on the number of times a candidate could retake; she moved that 60 days must elapse between the taking of tests and that a candidate would be allowed to take the exam no more than 3 times per year. Betty Kimball seconded the motion; it passed unanimously, 5-0. David Breen asked that the Health Agent run the completed test by Brian Dudley before giving it.
Licensing. The Board signed licenses for Tang's Chinese Restaurant, House Calls, Cape Cod Excavating, Massasoit Hills Trailer Park, Inc. and Maurice's Campground.
Other Business.
Ms. Beebe informed the Board that there had been an oil spill in an area of Rockwell Avenue, off of Ocean View Drive; this involved heating oil from a tank and an oil line. The state and the National Seashore park have been notified, and the spill is being handled by East Cape Engineering, Inc. Two wells exist nearby.
Minutes. Lezli Rowell moved the approval of the minutes of May 22 as amended. Zel Levin seconded; motion passed, 5-0. Rowell moved approval of the minutes of June 12 as amended; Karlson seconded; motion passed, 5-0.
Geoffrey Karlson moved that the meeting be adjourned; David Breen seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 8:50 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
_______________________________
Frances J. Castillo, Assistant to the Committee Secretary
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