PonderingsFall2012

In This Issue Living with an Alternative Nitrogen Attenuation System Are We Sustaining the Health of our Shellfish?President’s Message Ask the OspreyIT IS TIME FOR ACTION!! We have waited and waited for the town’s wastewater planning process to becompleted. We have waited for over a decade. We have voted in favor of a Draft Comprehensive WastewaterManagement Plan (CWMP) in 2008, and then we have waited patiently for that draft plan to go through the regulatoryprocess to become final in 2011. We have voted 13 times in the last ten years to keep the process moving forward. Thetown recently responded to citizens claiming a decentralized system would cost less than a centralized one. TownMeeting voted by 510 to 6 to spend $150,000 to study that question again even though it had been done and vetted duringthe CWMP planning process. We have waited for the results of this study to be available including the recommendationsof the professional engineers and cost estimators. And now, before the results of this study are in, some would have usignore its findings and proceed as if it was never done.Casting doubt on legitimate science is a way of blocking action. Raising minute issues is a way of causing confusion.Repeatedly stating sound bites is a political tool to mold emotions. These tactics have only served to promote a situationof little trust thus hampering our collective ability to solve the real problems related to nitrogen polluting our waterways.Since our incorporation nearly ten years ago, Orleans Pond Coalition has followed the debate around these issues.Orleans Pond Coalition’s mission is to preserve and protect all our waters and waterways. We have listened to all sides.If we have had a bias, it has been to listen more carefully to the scientists and engineers who are professionally licensed topractice in the fields that are truly relevant to solving our wastewater problem.Over the last four years a small but vocal minority has opposed Orleans’ CWMP. Many believe the concerns of thisminority have been appropriately addressed with the support of the Board of Selectmen – i.e. peer reviewing theCWMP, peer reviewing the science upon which the CWMP is based and now hiring an independent, professionalconsulting firm to prepare a more refined cost comparison of centralized and decentralized options.Some would have us ignore the results of this cost comparison before it has been completed. A few citizens aresuggesting we move to implement “quick and easy” solutions, which ignore the thoughtful, careful, scientific work thathas thus far been done. The aim of this approach is to completely eliminate the option of any form of centralizedsewering in town even if it ultimately means more cost to taxpayers.The CWMP was specifically designed to be flexible but not so flexible that we can just do anything. Doing“something” is not better than doing “nothing” if the something closes more cost effective options. To makesignificant changes to the CWMP puts us back to re-writing the Plan and again going through the regulatory process. Thisis a delaying tactic. One can imagine a combination of centralized and decentralized solutions, which would be favoredby many, but not if the first step eliminates any centralized component.Cost is an issue for all of us! Some have speculated about costs and made dire predictions. We will not have thespecifics on cost until the Weston & Sampson work is complete. Accurate cost estimates will allow the town to develop amunicipal finance plan for this project, which it currently lacks. It is impossible to move forward without thisinformation, and without it, no one can estimate accurately the tax burden.WE HAVE PAID ATTENTION AND NOW IT IS TIME FOR ACTION. The vast majority of us who haverespectfully waited for all the information to come in, who have waited for one study after another to be completed,who truly care about the quality of our water and the health of our town now expect our leaders to act responsiblyusing this information to our best advantage.Let us not forget that Orleans is a special place because of our precious water resources upon which our economyand our quality of life are based.Fran McClennen

Page 2Living with an Alternative The system has been running installing the double tank) near Nitrogen Attenuation smoothly now for about seven years. double that. Also, the Barnstable System State and town require at least an County Department of Health and annual inspection, currently costing Environment operates a center toTen years ago we had the opportunity $250 for each visit. The inspector test alternative septic treatmentto build our retirement home in verifies that the pump is running and methods.Orleans. Back then there was less looks at the effluent into the leachingawareness of the problem of nitrogen field to see if it is clear (it is) and says Ask the Ospreyseeping into our waterways from our it would be OK to drink (he doesn’t.)septic tanks and neither our builder, But they do not test for the nitrogen What is OPC doing about the issuesour architect, our septic installer, nor content in the effluent. I decided to do related to fertilizer and the health ofthe town mentioned the possibility of this once myself, sending a sample of our waterways?putting in an on-site system. It just the effluent off for N testing, and the OPC has been committed to reducingseemed like a good idea to us to do result was that about 50% of the the use of nitrate and phosphate lawnsomething extra to keep our septic calculated nitrogen input was fertilizers that contribute approx-nitrogen from flowing into a nearby removed. imately 16 percent of the excessembayment. The pump is housed above ground in nitrogen in our waters. Our concern is an enclosure about the size that more and more Orleans lawns areSome of the nitrogen entering a septic of two milk crates togethersystem is removed by natural and emits a low hum. The using irrigationprocesses, however, the far greater yearly cost for the systems that enhanceamount flows out into the electricity runs to several the movement ofgroundwater. There are several hundred dollars and there nitrates and phosphatesoptions for systems that work within is the usual need for septic into our ponds andthe septic apparatus to further reduce tank pumping. Bottom- estuaries. Many of thethat output.* We chose a system that line, we are on a treadmill lawn companies arerelies on bacteria to remove nitrogen that is not exactly cheap. still promoting greenand which has three components: In winter, the lower temperatures slow irrigated lawns using the bacterial action, so it is less traditional bent grass1. A second septic tank alongside the efficient. If we are away for a few species such as Kentucky Bluegrass. usual primary tank weeks, we’re supposed to put in a few An immediate priority is educating pounds of sugar to keep the bacteria homeowners that Cape Cod lawns are2. A honeycomb-like insert into the happy, but after our return, there is naturally dormant when we have less second tank, on which the bacteria still sometimes a definite septic odor rain and that installing irrigation live, and, for two or three days. systems may keep your lawn green Has it been worth it? We’re not BUT also contributes to the pollution3. An electric pump to force air into abandoning the effort, and I suppose it of our ponds and estuaries. the system. makes us feel good about doing OPC has distributed GREEN TIPS to something to reduce the nitrogen garden centers such as Snow’s andIn new construction it is not difficult problem – even if tiny, every little bit Agway in our effort to better informto include the second concrete tank adds something toward the problem’s the consumers of lawn care productswhich is about the size of the primary solution. and their impact on our waters.tank. There is a connecting port just By Sam Corlette Consider using native tall fescueabove the sludge layer in the first tank * See www.buzzardsbay.org/etistuff/ grasses and white clover that do notto allow the liquids to overflow into require irrigation or commercialthe second tank where it bathes the results for a discussion of merits of fertilizer. If we limit our watering andplastic honeycomb. Bacteria populate several systems; the results varied use of nitrogen and phosphorusthe honeycomb naturally, but are from 55 – 60 % N removal; to install fertilizers, our water will improve.different from the bacteria normally a system like ours today in new We may also want to consider havinginhabiting a septic tank, requiring construction might cost in the the Cape ban the sale of nitrate andoxygen to thrive (aerobic bacteria). neighborhood of $10,000, and to phosphorus lawn fertilizers in ourThis requires a pump to provide year- retrofit an existing system (usually fragile environment.round air flow. These bacteria then removing the present septic tank andfeed on the nitrogen in the liquid, Hank Schumacherconverting it to nitrogen gas, whichescapes into the atmosphere. (Continued on page 4)

Are We Sustaining the Health of our Shellfish? Page 3The short answer is that we could based upweller nursery system on As we try to sustain the health ofprobably never do enough “to sustain their property. The 15,000 oysters shellfish, shellfish sustains the healththe health of our shellfish” but the were donated from ARC, the local of the estuaries and by extension, us,longer answer is that we are doing alot. hatchery that through their filter- supplies most feeding capacity.On the town level, the Shellfish and of the seed for They are extremelyHarbormaster Department grows important convertersbetween 600,000 and 1,000,000 the entire of nutrients in thequahaug seed and 250,000 to 400,000 Cape shellfish estuaries throughoyster seed annually. Grow-out industry, complex biochemicalmethods include bottom planting with processes.use of protective netting, stackable public andtrays and plastic mesh bags. The private. The But focusing onTown does not currently operate an OPC project is shellfish requires aupweller system and obtains its operating leap of faith because ofshellfish seed from a local hatchery. a host of unanswered questions. ANatural oyster production ceased at under the biological reality, though, is that youleast three quarters of a century ago so auspices of the town through their have to have babies to have adults andgetting them back in Orleans waters seed propagation permit and once the you have to have adults to have babieswould be cause for joy. and if you don’t have one, you can’t seed is large enough, Dawson Farber, have the other. It’s a numbers gameOn the private level, there are now 21 Shellfish Constable and Harbormaster, so when too many adults are taken andshellfish grants in Orleans farming will determine where they should go there aren’t enough to produce theoysters and quahaugs in our waters seed, the population dwindles and ifplus a small mussel grant. In the past for final grow-out. the seed dies (or is harvested) before itseveral years, Cape Cod Bay flats matures, the population dwindles. Tohave been added as a grow-out site for That said, at this point, we don’t have get to the point of healthy stocks, ittwo companies joining aquaculture enough shellfish in the water to takes a lot of work and funding andbusinesses in Provincetown, Wellfleet, time because they don’t growEastham, Brewster, Dennis and sustain healthy populations although overnight. None of the projects listedBarnstable in Cape Cod Bay and off- we also don’t know exactly what a above, public or private, is successfulCape sites in Duxbury Bay with new healthy population needs to be for automatically. During the time theygrants soon to be issued in Plymouth. are growing, anything can and doesThe industry in Cape Cod Bay has sustainability. What we have now in happen to them because we are talkingreally taken off in the last decade or so no way compares to historic levels of about natural environments so it takesproducing millions of fantastic shellfish when there were fewer patience, luck, skill, attention tooysters. Eastham has 14 grants in details, faith of the funders to see itCape Cod Bay and four in Nauset people. Some years, there appears to through and the kindness of MotherHarbor and Orleans has 16 grants in be plenty of shellfish around and some Nature to help out without throwingPleasant Bay. All of this private years there are very few – there can be too many curve balls in the process.aquaculture activity in Orleans has For oysters, you need to watch themtaken place only in the last 25 years lots of reasons for population for nearly three years but forwith most of the growers switching fluctuations and a particular cause/ quahaugs, it can be an agonizinglyfrom quahaugs to oysters. effect may not be known. Scallops are long five to five to seven years and most people don’t have that kind ofOn the non-profit side, OPC recently in short supply and the once-dominant patience. There are places where theygot into shellfish with a project begun mussel population crashed which grow faster than that but it is still inthis summer through the generosity of means it’s all about clams and the order of several years.the folks at Arey’s Pond Boat Yard quahaugs. What we have seen,who are allowing OPC to have a land- (Continued on page 4) though, is a reduction in effort which may be tied to stock abundance but more importantly is a probable result of a social/cultural shift away from shellfishing as a recreational activity that used to be enjoyed by many people. Those who are still digging their own shellfish seem to be finding them.

SandyMacFarlane