WATER MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
November 10 2009 Minutes
WMC members present: Sandy Bayne, chair WMC; Meint Olthof, vice-chair, wastewater; Marcel Boelitz; Don Nuendel, Clerk pro tem; Bill Nugent; Dan Schwebach, Stephen Wasby; Muriel Lightfoot, Alternate
Others present: Jane Crowley (Health Agent); Selectman Martin McDonald; Bill Alan; Tom Johnson; Charles Harris; Jeff Hicks
Members absent: Karl Weiss, vice-chair, water
The meeting began at 2:00pm and ended at 4:40pm.
The minutes of the September 2009 meeting will be reviewed for approval at the December meeting because some members either didn't receive them or could not open the e-mailed draft minutes.
A discussion was held regarding how the WMC should approach the study and rehabilitation of ponds in Eastham. The following thoughts were discussed:
- number of ponds designated for clean-up
- all twelve ponds checked were “sick” at different degrees
- cost to clean-up two ponds
- should the money for the study be in the five year plan or proposed as an article at May 2010 town meeting.
- alum treatment is a good possibility, but it doesn’t deal with nitrogen loading, only phosphorus
alum is not a permanent fix, but may last up to 20 years
- a permanent fix would require prevention of the phosphorus loading
more information needed to determine best clean-up procedure
- annual pond study should continue in order to amass a long term record, so the annual pond study budget needs to be approved
should have a recommendation to the BOS by11/18 meeting
Motion (Mr Olthof): Develop a proposal to rehabilitate two ponds for presentation at the 11/18 Board of Selectmen meeting. Seconded and passed 6-2.
Chairwomen Bayne will develop the proposal for WMC review.
Motion (Mr Wasby): Accept the revised budget for the annual pond study. Seconded and passed 8-0.
A discussion was held regarding the EP draft report on Rock Harbor. The following thoughts were discussed:
- the need for more reliable field data for waste water management planning
should Rock Harbor be dredged or revert back to a natural tidal harbor
request the DEP to review the EP data and draft report findings
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- hiring an environmental lawyer and/or consultant to represent the town
- determine if the four feet of dredged area should be considered an estuary
determine if there is enough money left in the 2007 wastewater planning article to request S & W review the issue of the classification of Rock Harbor as an estuary and recommend whether it can be reasonably challenged
Motion (Mr Wasby): Request $50,000 for consulting and/or attorney fees to help Eastham respond to the prospective total maximum daily load ( TMDL’s) for Rock Harbor and for review of the Nauset estuary town cove Massachusetts Estuary Project (MEP) report. Seconded and passed 7-0 with 1 abstention.
The publication of the wastewater management planning newsletter was discussed.
The WMC voted 7-0 with 1 abstention to urge the BOS to mail it to every household and to do it as soon as possible.
A presentation by Mr. Thomas Johnson was made to the WMC. Highlights of the presentation were as follows:
- failed septic systems can pollute our well water
- request to require pumping of septic tanks every 3-5 years
A discussion was held after Mr. Johnson's presentation and it was decided that the WMC would not recommend that the Town of Eastham require residents to pump out their septic tanks on a defined schedule. Although, it was agreed by the WMC that pumping out a septic tank on a 3-5 year schedule is a reasonable time frame.
Respectfully submitted,
Donald T. Nuendel
Clerk pro tem
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