ENHANCING WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT ON CAPE COD:
Planning, Administrative, and Legal Tools

Barnstable County and its Wastewater Implementation Committee (WIC) have funded an analysis of planning, administrative, and legal tools to improve wastewater management on Cape Cod. The study was conducted by a WIC working group, led by Wright-Pierce and subconsultants Teal Ltd. and CLF Ventures, with town, county, and Cape Cod Commission staff.

First, an inventory was developed of existing wastewater infrastructure, and current regulatory programs were evaluated. In the second phase, the working group identified those aspects of current programs and policies that are hurdles to more effective management. Next, the group identified specific enhancements to existing programs and proposed new programs to supplement them. In the fourth phase, those existing and potential tools were applied to four towns as case studies. Through the case studies, several important tools were fine-tuned and further developed to be available to other towns.

The report, released July 28, 2004, is available in its entirety and in parts, in PDF format:

Entire Report: (about 8 MB)

• Enhancing Wastewater Management on Cape Cod: Planning, Administrative, and Legal Tools

By Section:

• Cover

• Title Page, Table of Contents, and Executive Summary

• Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4 - Introduction, Definitions, Existing Wastewater Facilities and Programs, and Wastewater Management Functions and Responsibilities

• Chapter 5 - Management Issues and Solutions
  • Summary of Chapter 5 - Solutions by Issue

• Chapter 6 - Case Study - Orleans

• Chapter 7 - Case Study - Mashpee

• Chapter 8 - Case Study - Falmouth

• Chapter 9 - Case Study - Barnstable

• Chapter 10 - Conclusions and Recommendations

• Appendices A, B, C, and D - Summary of Abbreviations and Acronyms; Existing Satellite Systems on Cape Cod; Falmouth's New Silver Beach Bylaw; and Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment's Brochure on Management Program for Innovative/Alternative Septic Systems