Agendas & Minutes

Agendas are available prior to the meetings. Minutes are available following approval.

View Most Recent Agendas and Minutes.

Members

View a list of current committee members.

Mission Statement

Recognizing the sensitivity and importance of the water resources in the Town of Sandwich and Cape Cod, the Water Quality Advisory Committee shall coordinate efforts with Town Committees, Staff and abutting Communities to protect and enhance the groundwater, surface waters, watersheds and estuaries that comprise the natural value of Cape Cod.

View a link to YouTube video presentation. View a link to the MEP Scientific Peer Review Presentation (PDF).

Staff

• David B. Mason, RS, CHO, Director of Public Health

Consultants

• Wright-Pierce
• Mike Giggey, PE, Senior Vice President
• Edward Leonard, PE, Lead Project Engineer

Comprehensive Water Resource Management Plan Overview & Introduction

Across Cape Cod, there has been steady erosion of water quality as the year-round and seasonal populations have increased over time. In 2011, the Town of Sandwich requested and received grant funding from the Commonwealth to develop a Comprehensive Water Resource Management Plan (CWRMP). The purpose of the CWRMP is to guide improvements to water quality in groundwater, freshwater ponds and coastal estuaries, including meeting the Nitrogen Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements for certain coastal estuaries.

The CWRMP was developed over 6 years and was informed by significant effort and input from Town's Health Department, Planning Department, Engineering Department and the Water Quality Advisory Committee (WQAC).

The CWRMP includes the construction of a modest municipal wastewater system to:

• Serve approximately 1,880 residential, commercial and industrial parcels (approximately 20% of parcels) which will eliminate the septic system leachfields at those parcels and reduce the nitrogen from those parcels
• Protect Sandwich Water District drinking water supplies
• Provide select growth opportunities consistent with the Local Comprehensive Plan
• Eliminate the existing wastewater treatment systems at the Forestdale School and Oak Ridge School

The CWRMP includes the construction of three water main extensions to address private drinking water supplies with high nitrate concentrations and to construction stormwater best management practices to protect freshwater ponds from nutrients and turbidity. The CWRMP also includes important non-structural (i.e., policies, procedures, regulations) to reduce nutrient loadings:

• Land use controls to make the CWRMP "flow-neutral" to avoid unwanted sewer-induced growth
• Fertilizer program to encourage reduced use of fertilizers on residential properties, at municipal facilities and at golf courses. Nitrogen credit trading program with other towns in shared watersheds via inter-municipal agreements.

The CWRMP is phased and is highly adaptable to accommodate observed/measured progress in water quality improvement, future regional opportunities, effectiveness of potentially lower-cost alternatives, and availability of favorable financing. The CWRMP is consistent with the requirements on the Cape Cod Commission's 208 Water Quality Plan Update (2015).

For more information on the CWRMP, refer to the Executive Summary and/or the full Report and Appendices.