Approved
Comprehensive Wastewater Management Planning Committee
January 24, 2012, 2:30 pm, DPW Building
Members Present: Alex Hay, Ned Hitchcock, Curt Felix, Lezli Rowell and Hillary Greenberg
By Phone: Paul Millett
OLD BUSINESS:
-MAYO & BAKER BATH HOUSE
Vote to Approve/Accept ~Mayo & Baker Bath House final proposal for Selectman and Town Meeting Warrant.~
Discussion on Selectman Meeting 1/24 Paul Gabriel will be making the presentation to the Selectmen at the 1/24/12 meeting. Millett stated the town administrator's office would like to have only one facility built, and not the two as proposed. The committee stated there are safety issues, seasonal issues, existing septic flow exceeding facility capacities and volume of people visiting the beach and recreation areas. Gabriel stated the proposal is for waterless, composting units which will take a huge load off the marina facility and provide for sanitation at Mayo Beach and Bakers Field.
There was discussion regarding the aggregate flow of all the locations. The Harbormaster has been responsible for maintenance of an RSF enhanced Title V system at the~marina, designed for 770 gpd, with usage is over 3,700 gpd. Agent Greenberg-Lemos~suggested describing why waterless/composting offers complete denitrification in an area of high use and sensitivity, compared to conventional Title V (no~nitrogen~reduction) or I/A technology (50% nitrogen reduction).
There was discussion regarding the various options available to the town that will be presented to the town. The photograph will be enlarged for display on an easel. Alex Hay and Curt Felix will represent the committee at the meeting. The focus of the presentation will be to educate people of the ability to serve existing needs and reduce the nitrogen levels. A leach field can be sited that will have enough room to accommodate the sticker shack and shellfish building in a later phase. If the shellfish building were to be reconstructed, the committee would recommend that compost system would be installed.
Agent Greenberg-Lemos recommended having the current bathroom cleaning maintenance contractor costs available if the question arises, and Town Hall has that answer. Option 3 would serve the beach only and would only include a shed with one toilet. Option 3b is renovation of the shellfish building and the costs associated do not include the relocation of the Shellfish department. ($440,000 plus accommodations for Koch). Option 4 is one bathhouse located on Mayo Beach and does not include Bakers Field. This also includes shellfish relocation as well as renovating shellfish building and sticker building with composting toilets. Gabriel will provide an updated sheet describing why the committee recommends option 5. Lezli Rowell recommended calling this a Pilot Project, the town
leading by example in resource protection and nitrogen management. If the project is reduced to one building, the committee wants to determine the location, noting the beach bathhouse is intended to be seasonal and the Bakers Field to serve the year-round uses at the recreation area.
A: Pilot Project - the Wellfleet Harbor waterfront is the most sensitive and highly used municipal area, with a free beach, extensive aquaculture, and multiple recreation uses by town departments and the public. Removing the nitrogen from the Bakers Field and swimming area loads and designing to meet peak requirements, this Pilot Project takes pressure off marina system, satisfies the Bakers bequest (previously endorsed by town meeting in 2002) and provides needed sanitary/comfort facilities.
Alex Hay recommended giving an explanation why the shellfish building was not going to be included in the new bathhouse plan at this phase, because the area is under multiple jurisdictional permits and regulations. The committee took into consideration the needs of the waterfront area and maximizing the benefits while preserving the future opportunities. Alex Hay stated this is leaning into the direction that it looks like we will be going into as satellite locations addressing watershed issues. If only one bathhouse building is approved, the committee recommends having the location at Bakers Field. However, the committee wants both buildings. The value of waterless/composting facilities can be demonstrated through this project to provide a baseline for later phase projects
involving the shellfish and beach sticker departments, or as upgrades to other municipal septics are needed.
Ned Hitchcock stated it should be the people in the town making the decision as to how many bathhouses. Felix Curtis moved to recommend Option 5 proposal with two bath houses, one for Mayo Beach, one at Baker Field, which will meet the design requirements and wastewater goals of removing nitrogen from one of the most sensitive areas in the harbor; seconded by Ned Hitchcock; passed 4-0.
Discussion on Building Needs Comm. Input
Alex Hay stated he has been e-mailing Hugh Guilderson regarding the law with tear-downs, and there is a difference between repair and rebuild. Curt Felix stated the shellfish building could be predesigned and put on pilings.
-EPG DELIVERABLES - CWMP
Recap & moving forward on EPG presentation of deliverables on CWMP. This will be discussed at the next meeting.
NEW BUSINESS
MEP SCIENTIFIC REVIEW: Curt Felix made comments on the current scientific review, and Alex Hay feels the scientific review showed MEP is good at what it does, but does not address Wellfleet’s issues. Hay and Greenberg-Lemos stated the committee could respond to the scientific review and identify areas MEP did not include, such eel grass, shellfish, filter feeders, and salt marsh estuary. Felix stated the review is land-based modeling. He stated MEP could go back in time to recalibrate the model (say 1959). Felix stated MEP did accurate calibrations for the Town of Orleans, and feels if they took some history of shellfish, filter feeders, etc , it would provide a model in order for the town to change the parameters for wastewater management in the future.
Felix recommended responding with the committee's comments. Hay stated a dialog could be started regarding the current review, but it could become a political issue. Agent Greenberg-Lemos recommended sending a letter asking questions and pointing out how unique Wellfleet is. There was discussion regarding the inability to combine the studies between MEP and Herring River Restoration Commission. (Hydro aspect) and that MEP’s studies are nutrient based and have a historic based contour, which they cannot predict how the Herring River will affect the nutrients. The two models cannot talk to each other. Felix stated there is research being done on releasing large amounts of nitrogen to a salt marsh and the results. Greenberg-Lemos stated the town will have to
have a back up plan regarding the wastewater plans, and Cape Cod Commission is reviewing all the various systems and will have a proposed regional plan.
The Cape Cod Commission is looking at all the town’s plans and programs, such as the oyster/shellfish propagation. Hay recommended sending the report from Sherer and Annajmaria to DEP. The Town is currently working on the shellfish propagation, Mayo Creek, and the proposed bathhouses which will be reducing the nitrogen levels.
Mike Sherer has data from 2006 to 2010. A comprehensive report will be finalized by February 2012, which will include Annajmaria’s data. The recommendations will be soundly based.
NEW COMM MEMBERS
Felix talked with Fred Vanderschmit, Marsha Peasley and Jim O’Connell about becoming members of the committee but there were issues with the time frames of the meeting.
MINUTES:
Felix moved to approve the January 10, 2012; seconded by Ned Hitchcock ; passed 3-0.
Curt Felix was asked to make a presentation to the Conservation Trust. He stated there could be a mechanism for the Trust to be involved with some of their land. He was also requested to talk to the recycling committee regarding shell recycling. There could be a short time period of collecting shells from restaurants, etc. during the summer months
The committee will send a letter to town hall regarding the air quality in the DPW building.
Ned Hitchcock moved to adjourn at 4:20 pm; seconded by Curt Felix; passed 3-0.
Respectfully submitted,
Christine Bates
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