comprehensive wastewater planning in your town
DESCRIPTION
A presentation about comprehensive wastewater planning at the town level. Presented by Dr. Robert Duncanson, Chatham Health & Environment Director, during the Buzzards Bay Coalition's 2013 Decision Makers Workshop series. Learn more at www.savebuzzardsbay.org/DecisionMakersTRANSCRIPT
Comprehensive Wastewater Comprehensive Wastewater Planning in Your TownPlanning in Your Town
Buzzards Bay CoalitionBuzzards Bay Coalition
2013 Decisions Makers Workshop2013 Decisions Makers Workshop
April 3, 2013April 3, 2013
Robert A. Duncanson, Ph.D.CWMP Program Manager
Director of Health & EnvironmentTown of Chatham
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New Breach 2007
BackgroundBackground
• 1966 Report recommends limited central sewer 1966 Report recommends limited central sewer system, 2 phasessystem, 2 phases
• 1971 11971 1stst phase and WWTP on-line, 2 phase and WWTP on-line, 2ndnd phase phase deferreddeferred
• 1987 DEP Administrative Consent Order1987 DEP Administrative Consent Order– ““Town shall take all necessary steps to plan, design and Town shall take all necessary steps to plan, design and
construct a wastewater treatment and disposal facility to construct a wastewater treatment and disposal facility to serve the Town’s wastewater needs…”serve the Town’s wastewater needs…”
• 1991 Town Meeting rejects 1982 & 1988 Facility Plan 1991 Town Meeting rejects 1982 & 1988 Facility Plan Updates Updates
• 1997 Comprehensive Wastewater Management 1997 Comprehensive Wastewater Management Planning Planning begins begins
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Background continuedBackground continued
• 2003 (2007)/2006 MEP Reports2003 (2007)/2006 MEP Reports
• 2006-2007 Alternatives (by watersheds)2006-2007 Alternatives (by watersheds)
• 2007 Draft EIR/Draft CWMP2007 Draft EIR/Draft CWMP
• 2009 Final EIR/Final CWMP2009 Final EIR/Final CWMP– July MEPA CertificateJuly MEPA Certificate– October DRI ApprovalOctober DRI Approval
• 2010 Construction commences2010 Construction commences
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•WhoWho
•WhatWhat
•HowHow
•WhereWhere
•WhenWhen
•How Much?How Much?
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Wastewater Planning: Critical Wastewater Planning: Critical ComponentsComponents
Wastewater Planning is a Wastewater Planning is a complicated scientific and complicated scientific and engineering process – it needs engineering process – it needs to be simplified for public to be simplified for public acceptance. acceptance.
Repetition – Repetition – Repetition – Repetition – RepetitionRepetition
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A cooperative, team effort:A cooperative, team effort:
•Citizens Advisory Committee Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC)(CAC)•Technical Advisory Group (TAG)Technical Advisory Group (TAG)•MEPMEP•ConsultantConsultant•Regulators (MassDEP, Cape Cod Regulators (MassDEP, Cape Cod Commission/USEPACommission/USEPA•Water & Sewer Advisory Water & Sewer Advisory CommitteeCommittee•CitizensCitizens
Who:Who:
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Citizens Advisory CommitteeCitizens Advisory Committee
• Established at the onset of the project.Established at the onset of the project.
• Geographically diverse membership.Geographically diverse membership.
• Integrated into all aspects of the project.Integrated into all aspects of the project.
• Meetings televised.Meetings televised.
• Minutes provided on town’s website.Minutes provided on town’s website.
• Regular updates to the Board of Selectmen.Regular updates to the Board of Selectmen.
• Sponsors public outreach activities: Sponsors public outreach activities: educational workshops, flyers, speakers educational workshops, flyers, speakers bureau, etc. bureau, etc.
“We want citizens to study why we’re doing what we’re doing, we want them to question us as we go along and maybe lead us in another direction.”
“We need this to be supported by the taxpayers, because it’s going to cost us one way or another.”
“…pro-actively develop, village by village, public involvement and support for a plan of action.”
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Technical Advisory GroupTechnical Advisory Group
• Town ManagerTown Manager• Finance Director Finance Director (as needed)(as needed)
• Community Development DirectorCommunity Development Director
• Director of Health & EnvironmentDirector of Health & Environment
• Water & Sewer ManagerWater & Sewer Manager
• Health AgentHealth AgentResponsible for direction to the Consultant.
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WhatWhat::
• What is the problem – not always evident/may not always be agreement/may be multiple problems.
• Develop the data – some may exist/some may have to be developed.
• Identify goal(s)
MEP ProcessMEP Process
Linked Model & Report:
Nitrogen Loading
Hydrodynamic Model
Water Quality Model
Thresholds Analysis
Watershed Delineation
Land Use Data
Data Collection
TMDL Development
CWMP & more model runs
Implementation!Slide Courtesy of MEP
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Watershed Watershed EvaluationsEvaluations
Watershed Watershed EvaluationsEvaluations
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• Plan a town-wide Plan a town-wide response to a town-response to a town-wide problem.wide problem.– More efficient.More efficient.– More cost-effective.More cost-effective.– More environmentally-More environmentally-
sound.sound.– Cost control through Cost control through
phasing.phasing.
• Don’t lose sight of the Don’t lose sight of the forest for the trees.forest for the trees.
How:How:How:How:
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Technology
Typical Nitrogen
Concentration in the Effluent
Typical Percent Removal
Title 5 Septic System 20 to 40 mg/l 23%
Individual Nitrogen Removal Septic System 15 to 25 mg/l 50%Community/Cluster System 5 to 15 mg/l 75%
BAT WWTF 3 mg/l 93%
Summary of Typical Nitrogen Removals for the Wastewater Management Options
Ecotoilets?
WastewaterWastewater
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Non-wastewaterNon-wastewater– Hydrodynamic ModificationsHydrodynamic Modifications– Boat/Pet Waste ManagementBoat/Pet Waste Management– Fertilizer Management Fertilizer Management – Freshwater AttenuationFreshwater Attenuation– Shellfish/Macroalgal Shellfish/Macroalgal
HarvestingHarvesting– Stormwater ManagementStormwater Management
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Site Site EvaluationsEvaluations Site Site EvaluationsEvaluations
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Hydrogeologic and Site Hydrogeologic and Site EvaluationsEvaluations
Hydrogeologic and Site Hydrogeologic and Site EvaluationsEvaluations
• Hydraulic load Hydraulic load testing and testing and groundwater groundwater modelingmodeling• WhereWhere• How muchHow much• MoundingMounding
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Watershed Watershed Evaluations Evaluations (sewersheds) (sewersheds) Watershed Watershed Evaluations Evaluations (sewersheds) (sewersheds)
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– Nitrogen TMDLsNitrogen TMDLs– Other TMDLsOther TMDLs– Low costLow cost– Fiscal fairnessFiscal fairness– Fewer raised systemsFewer raised systems– Address needs in Address needs in
other Areas of other Areas of ConcernConcern
• Plan wastewater management Plan wastewater management to meet Town goals:to meet Town goals:
2020
Plan No. 1: No Action Alternative
Plan No. 2: Combination of Sewers and I/A Technology in Selected Watersheds
Plan No. 3: I/A Technology
Plan No. 4: Sewer Extension to Meet Nitrogen TMDLs
Plan No. 5: Town-Wide Sewer Extension
Alternative Plan Formation Alternative Plan Formation and Evaluation and Evaluation Alternative Plan Formation Alternative Plan Formation and Evaluation and Evaluation
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Recommended Plan Recommended Plan Recommended Plan Recommended Plan
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When:When:
Everything takes longer than you expect or plan for.
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Schedule•Start?•Year-round construction?•SRF Funding Cycle•Local Fiscal Impacts•Community Impacts•Business Impacts!!
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Where:Where: • Environmental Sensitivity
• Project Coordination• Maximize Impact• Community Input• Funding• Nimby• Banana
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How Much?:How Much?: How Much?:How Much?:
The preverbal moving target.
Must be addressed as early as realistically possible (level of confidence).
Simplicity.
The only thing anyone really cares about.
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Fiscal PlanningFiscal Planning
• Town-wide approachTown-wide approach
• AffordabilityAffordability
• Fiscal CredibilityFiscal Credibility
• Identify All CostsIdentify All Costs– Connection FeesConnection Fees– Annual User ChargesAnnual User Charges– BettermentBetterment– Tax RateTax Rate
“To demonstrate the fiscal impact of the implementation of the Wastewater Plan, and thereby the affordability of the balance of the capital facility plan.”
Demonstrate the worst case fiscal impact to homeowners.
Discuss betterment versus property tax payment options.
2828(1) All costs are rounded to two significant digits and are referenced to a date of June 2007 .
Total Phase 1 and 2 Cost Summary (in Millions of Dollars)Total Phase 1 and 2 Cost Summary (in Millions of Dollars)
ComponentComponent Capital Capital Costs Costs
Phase 1Phase 1(1)(1)
Capital Capital Costs Costs
Phase 2 Phase 2 (1)(1)
Capital Capital Costs Costs
Total Total (1)(1)
WWTF upgrade and expansionWWTF upgrade and expansionConstruction CostsConstruction CostsContingenciesContingenciesFiscal, Legal, and EngineeringFiscal, Legal, and EngineeringTotalTotal
$25$25$5.0$5.0$4.9$4.9$35$35
$6.0$6.0$1.2$1.2$1.6$1.6$8.8$8.8
$31$31$6.2$6.2$6.5$6.5$44$44
Collection System ExpansionCollection System ExpansionConstruction CostsConstruction CostsContingenciesContingenciesFiscal, Legal, and EngineeringFiscal, Legal, and EngineeringTotalTotal
$110$110$28$28$28$28
$170$170
$60$60$14$14$14$14$88$88
$170$170$42$42$42$42
$250$250
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Property Tax ImpactProperty Tax Impact
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Total Cost Total Cost ($600,000 ($600,000 Valuation)Valuation)(yearly/monthly)(yearly/monthly)
Multiple Funding Multiple Funding SourcesSources
• Debt DropoffDebt Dropoff• Targeted Tax Surcharge Targeted Tax Surcharge
(Real Estate Transfer, Meals, (Real Estate Transfer, Meals, Hotel/Motel)Hotel/Motel)
• Property TaxProperty Tax– DeductibleDeductible
• BettermentBetterment– Improves value to Homeowner Improves value to Homeowner
(some vs all)(some vs all)– Payment may be banked by Payment may be banked by
towntown– Not DeductibleNot Deductible
DEBT
DROP OFF
Stable Tax rate
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Federal and State Funding SourcesFederal and State Funding Sources
•State Revolving Fund (SRF)State Revolving Fund (SRF)• O’Leary LegislationO’Leary Legislation
• SRF funds targeted to nutrient SRF funds targeted to nutrient projectsprojects• Eligible towns able to borrow @ Eligible towns able to borrow @ 0% interest 0% interest • 2009-20192009-2019
•USDA, Rural Development, Rural USDA, Rural Development, Rural Utilities ServiceUtilities Service
• Low interest loansLow interest loans• GrantsGrants• Population/Income basedPopulation/Income based
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•Growth ImplicationsGrowth Implications
•Shared WatershedsShared Watersheds
•Point of CompliancePoint of Compliance
•MonitoringMonitoring
•Watershed Watershed PermittingPermitting
•Adaptive Adaptive ManagementManagement
Other ConsiderationsOther Considerations
Questions?Questions?
“How many times must I tell you, the sea is not one vast, inexhaustible refuse
dump.”For more info: http://www.chatham-ma.gov/public_documents/ChathamMa_CWMPlan/CWMP