Back in June, a new alternative septic system called the NitROE Waste Water Treatment System (NitROE WWTS) received a permit for “provisional approval” from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. This permit codifies a 40% improvement over all previously permitted Innovative/Alternative septic systems – and that is only the beginning! We believe this system will ultimately achieve a 90 to 95% reduction in nitrogen flowing into our groundwater, thus performing equally to or better than most municipal treatment systems.

The town of Barnstable, working with BCWC, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and many others, has applied for a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness grant from the state. If approved, the grant will provide funding for more detailed work and data analysis on this system in the Shubael Pond neighborhood of Sand Shores. If you are interested in applying for a grant, please go to BCleanWater.org for our grant application or contact Jennifer Loughran at jloughran@bcleanwater.org for more information.

In addition to the work being done at Shubael Pond, BCWC has announced its own grant program to fund up to $10,000 of the costs for these same systems to be installed elsewhere in the town and throughout the Cape. As we go to press, we have over 30 grant applications from interested homeowners and a commitment from an additional 10 individuals willing to fund the installation of these systems on their own.

The following two videos explain what an existing Title 5 septic system is and what the new NitROE WWTS can do.