Green Opportunities for Wastewater Green Opportunities for Wastewater

Planning on Cape CodPlanning on Cape Cod

Green First Workshop

December 8, 2011

Cape Cod Regional Wastewater Cape Cod Regional Wastewater

Management Planning (RWMP)Management Planning (RWMP)

Objective: Restore degraded water bodies through regional nutrient management policy promoting appropriate infrastructure and growth management mechanisms while protecting taxpayers from unnecessary costs.

GoalPolicy Integrating:

•Environment •Affordability •Infrastructure •Growth Management

106106 WatershedsWatersheds

5757 EmbaymentsEmbayments

Watersheds to Coastal Embayments Watersheds to Coastal Embayments and Town Boundariesand Town Boundaries

AA Regional Regional IssueIssue

YearYear--roundround

Population:Population: 215,888215,888

SummerSummer

Population:Population: 500,000500,000

Existing treatment facilities

The traditionalThe traditional

engineering engineering

approachapproach……

Sewer all developmentSewer all development

$8 Billion$8 BillionMiles of Piped impervious surfaceMiles of Piped impervious surface

A More SustainableA More Sustainable

approachapproach……

Smart GrowthSmart Growth

“…“… guide growth toward areas that are guide growth toward areas that are

adequately supported by infrastructure adequately supported by infrastructure

and away from areas that must be and away from areas that must be

protected for ecological, historical, or protected for ecological, historical, or

other reasons.other reasons.””

No No ““silver bulletsilver bullet””

to fit multiple to fit multiple

needs:needs: Traditional Gray Infrastructure

Sustainable Green Infrastructure

AND

Sustainability PlanningSustainability Planning

Triple-bottom-line approach considering:

People Planet Profitability:

Restoring hydrologic balance to sustain:Quality of Life…Connectivity…Land Use Balance…

Air, Land and Water Quality…Economic Development

Not one big pipe:Not one big pipe:

Mix of GrayMix of Gray InfrastructureInfrastructure

TITLE 5 / IATITLE 5 / IA CLUSTERCLUSTER SATELLITESATELLITE CENTRALIZEDCENTRALIZED

PLUS PLUS

Mix of GreenMix of Green InfrastructureInfrastructure

• Fertilizer Reduction• Landscape Design with

Nitrogen-Fixing Plants• Wetland Restoration/Culvert

Widening• Constructed Wetlands• Stormwater Retrofits• Aquaculture Farms• Reactive Barrier Systems• Living Machines• Bio domes

A Closer Look at A Closer Look at

Innovative Innovative

TechnologiesTechnologies

Living MachinesLiving Machines

• Computer controlled drain and fill cycles, simulating tides

• Treats blackwater sewage by way of a diverse microbial system, or biofilm, that grows on the surface of a special gravel medium contained in a series of watertight basins

Constructed WetlandsConstructed Wetlands

• Subsurface flow

• Will remove BOD, Nitrates, Metals-ionic and solid form, Petroleum Hydrocarbons

• Removal of 40-80% of the total nitrogen in wastewater

• The rate of removal is a function of retention time

Restoring Hydrology through Restoring Hydrology through

““Greened AcresGreened Acres””

• Attenuates nitrogen distributed in the atmosphere

• Green Roofs, green walls

• Tree Planting

• Infiltration Strips: Green Streets