~Stearns&Wheler,LLC · ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERS & SCIENTISTS ·n ·Town of Falmouth, Massachusetts· n -n (n U· a u .- -Final · LI . , Needs.Assessment Report LI ·. :·_ . for . LI · Wastewater Facilities Planning· LI Study .LI ~ MAY, 1999 IJ . @ Recycled Poper . ~ Stearns &Wheler,LLC ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERS & SCIENTISTS May 18, 1999 Mr. Raymond A. Jack, Utilities Manager Department of Public Works 59 Town Hall Square Falmouth, Massachusetts 02540 Re: Wastewater Facilities Planning Project Final Needs Assessment Report Stearns & Wheler No. 80284.0 ,, Dear Mr. Jack: In accordance with the approved Wastewater Facilities Plan Scope of Work, Stearns & Wheler has prepared the attached Final Needs Assessment Report for your review. The Needs Assessment Report documents the existing and future conditions for the centralized wastewater facilities in the planning areas. The report summarizes the wastewater needs to be addressed in the next two phases of the ·wastewater Facilities Planning Project. This report is being sent to the agencies indicated on the attached distribution list. These agencies are requested to review the report and send any questions or comments on the report to Steams & Wheler at our Hyannis Office. A public hearing has been planned by the Cape Cod Commission, on this portion of the Wastewater Facilities Planning Project, for June 10, 1999 at 3:00 p.m. in the Falmouth Town Hall, Selectmen's Meeting Room. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about this report or any part of the Wastewater Facilities Planning Study. Very truly yours, Stearns & Wheler, LLC t,J "'::l "'l- C. p~- Nathan C. Weeks, P.E. Wayne C. Perry, P.E. Senior Project Manager Associate CC: Distribution List 100 West Main Street Post Office Box 975 Hyannis, Massachusetts 02601 (508)790-1707 Fax (508)790-2707 New York • Connecticut • Maryland • Ma ssachusetts * Recycled Poper WASTEWATER FACILITIES PLANNING STUDY TOWN OFFALMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS Needs Assessment Report . Distribution List A copy of the Needs Assessment Report has been sent to the following: Secretary of Environmental Affairs Buzzards Bay Project 100 Cambridge Street - 20th floor 2870 Cranberry Highway Boston, MA 02202 East Wareham, MA 02538 Attention: MEP A Unit } Attention: J. Costa Department of Environmental Protection Coastal Management One Winter Street 100 Cambridge Street - 20th Floor Boston, MA 02108 Boston, MA 02202 Attention: R. Lyberger DEP/Southeastem Regional Office DEP/Southeastem Regional Office 20 Riverside Drive 20 Riverside Drive Lakeville, MA 0234 7 Lakeville, MA 0234 7 Attention: B. Dudley Attention: MEP A Unit Massachusetts Historical Commission USEP A, Region One Achieve Building JFK Federal Building, CMA 220 Morrissey Blvd. Boston, MA 02203 Boston, Massachusetts 02125 Attention: B. Rosinoff Cape Cod Commission (six copies) Division of Marine Fisheries 3225 Main Street 50A Portside Drive Barnstable, MA 02630 Pocasset, MA 02559 Attention S. Korjeff Attention: J. Mendes Falmouth Utilities Department (seven copies) Falmouth Pond Watchers 59 Town Hall Square Center for Marine Science and Technology Falmouth, MA 02540 University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth Attention: R. Jack New Bedford, Massachusetts 02744 1 Falmouth Planning Office 59 Town Hall Square Falmouth, MA 02540 Attention: B. Currie Falmouth Natural Resources Department 59 Town Hall Square Falmouth, MA 02540 Falmouth Public Library 750 Main Street Falmouth, MA 02540 Attention: Reference Department Falmouth Administrator~ and Selectmen's Office 59 Town Hall Square Falmouth, MA 02540 Attention: P. Boyer Falmouth Health Department 59 Town Hall Square Falmouth MA 02540 Attention: D. Carignan J:\80284fal\Reports\Needs Assessment Report\D1STRIB3.doc 2 WASTEWATER FACILITIES PLANNING STUDY NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT TOWN OFFALMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS Prepared for TOWN OFFALMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS Prepared by Steams & Wheler, LLC ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERS & SCIENTISTS 100 West Main Street, P. 0. Box 97 5 Hyannis, Massachusetts 02601 April 1999 Project No. 80284 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Needs Assessment Report was produced through the joint efforts of Stearns & Wheler and the Town of Falmouth. Stearns & Wheler appreciates the assistance and valuable contributions made by the staff of the Town of Falmouth Department of Public Works, Utilities Division, Engineering Division, Wastewater Treatment Facility, Planning Department, Health Department, Natural Resources Department and Data Processing Department. We would like to acknowledge the following individuals who contributed to this report and study. Raymond Jack and Kenneth Ventura of the Utilities Division who answered many questions and provided background on the Town's water and wastewater system. George Calise and Saeed Kashi of the Engineering Division who provided insight and documents on previous engineering studies. William Owen of the Department of Public Works who provided insight and construction costs for the existing wastewater facilities. Robert White of the Falmouth Wastewater Treatment Facilities who provided insight, operations data, previous reports, site visits to the wastewater facilities, and much operational information. Brian Currie and Wayne Dick of the Planning Department who provided GIS data and mapping, reports on previous planning efforts, and insight into future conditions in the Town and the planning areas. David Carignan and Robyn Hendricks of the Health Department who provided data, background and insight on wastewater related health problems in the Town and in the planning areas. Paul Montague of the Natural Resources Department, who provided data, records and details on shellfish closures and water quality in the Town's harbors and embayments. George Trudeau of the Data Processing Department who created computerized data on the Town's properties, assessments, water consumption, land use, etc. We would also like to acknowledge the following agencies that provided valuable data and insight for this report and study. Cape Cod Commission who provided GIS data and mapping, technical information on the West Falmouth Harbor Watershed and assistance on the overall review process. University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, CMAST who provided documents of previous research in Falmouth and gave details for on-going research in the West Falmouth Watershed. United States Geologic Survey who supplied documents and maps of groundwater modeling and groundwater elevation measurements in western Cape Cod. Massachusetts DEP who provided file documents on Falmouth and assistance on the overall review process. J:\80284 fal\Reports\Needs Assessment Report\ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.doc TABLE OF CONTENTS Wastewater Facilities Planning Study Needs Assessment Report Town of Falmouth, Massachusetts EXECUTIVE SUMMARY GLOSSARY OF COMMON ACRONYMS CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Project Identification and Purpose . ........ 1-1 1.2 Project Background, Issues, and Planning Areas ........ 1-1 1.3 Project Scope .................................... 1-4 1.4 Environmental Review Process ..................... 1-6 1.5 Planning Period ................................... 1-7 1.6 Purpose and Organization of the Needs Assessment Report .. 1-8 CHAPTER 2 DATA REVIEW AND ON-GOING PROJECTS 2.1 Introduction ..................................... 2-1 2.2 Technical Reports and Data . .................. 2-1 2.3 Mapping ........................................ 2-4 2.4 Town and Regional Data ............................ 2-5 2.5 Meetings and Telephone Contacts ................... 2-5 2.6 On Going Projects ................................. 2-6 CHAPTER3 REGULATORYISSUES 3.1 Introduction ..................................... 3-1 3.2 State Regulatory Issues ............................ 3-1 3.3 Regional Regulatory Issues ........................... 3-13 3.4 Federal Regulatory Issues ............................ 3-19 3.5 Town of Falmouth Regulatory Issues .................... 3-20 -1- CHAPTER 4 TOWN-WIDE EXISTING CONDITIONS 4.1 Introduction .................................... 4-1 4.2 Natural Resources ............................... 4-1 4.3 Town Demographics .............................. 4-7 4.4 Water Supply .................................... 4-11 4.5 Failing On-Site Systems ........................... 4-12 CHAPTER 5 EXISTING CENTRALIZED FACILITIES 5.1 Falmouth Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) ....... 5-1 5.2 Existing Wastewater Collection System ................. 5-19 CHAPTER 6 EXISTING AND FUTURE CONDITIONS IN PLANNING AREAS 6.1 Introduction ........................................ 6-1 6.2 Land Use, Flow and Loadings, and Populations in the Planning Areas ................................ 6-2 6.3 West Falmouth Harbor Watershed ...................... 6-5 6.4 Falmouth High School ............................... 6-27 6.5 Woods Hole ....................................... 6-30 6.6 Falmouth Center Area ............................... 6-34 A. Introduction ................................. 6-34 B. Existing Sewered Areas ....................... 6-34 C. Main Street . 6-35 D. Davis Straits/Inner Harbor ...................... 6-37 E. Falmouth Beach .............................. 6-41 F. Falmouth Heights ............................. 6-43 G. Maravista ................................... 6-46 CHAPTER 7 NEEDS ASSESSMENT SUMMARY 7 .1 Introduction . 7-1 7.2 Falmouth Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) . 7-2 7.3 Centralized Wastewater Collection System . 7-4 7.4 Planning Areas . 7-5 7.5 Institutional Issues . 7-10 7.6 No Action Alternative . 7-11 7.7 Next Steps to Identify Solutions for Wastewater Needs . 7-11