[Classifieds] Sierra Club Talk: "Falmouth's Wastewater Outfall to Nantucket Sound: Discharge Plans & Issues, " May 20, 7pm, via Zoom

[MBL Classifieds]

As wastewater infrastructure expands in southeast Massachusetts, communities are developing or exploring ocean outfalls for the discharge of treated effluent. Learn about Falmouth’s plans, as well as experiences with the Deer Island outfall, at this timely talk.

If you can’t attend, the video of this talk will be made available at https://www.sierraclub.org/massachusetts/cape-cod-islands-group

Have a great day -

Chris Powicki
Chair, Sierra Cape Cod
774.487.4614


-----


Sierra Club’s Cape Cod & Islands Group “3rd Tuesday Talk” Series
Falmouth's Wastewater Outfall to Nantucket Sound: Discharge Plans & Issues
Tuesday, May 20, 7 to 8pm
Virtual, via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89176128525?pwd=V2R3QS9QaEF5cXhZY2xBRm1hQXJRdz09

Sierra Cape Cod’s “3rd Tuesday Talk” series continues May 20th at 7pm with an expert panel addressing the town of Falmouth’s plans to discharge wastewater treatment plant effluent to Nantucket Sound, as well as successful outcomes and outstanding concerns for the Deer Island treatment plant’s outfall to Massachusetts Bay. This Zoom event is open to all, and time will be reserved for audience Q&A and discussion.

Featured speakers include Amy Lowell, Falmouth wastewater superintendent; Steve Rafferty, chair of the town’s Water Quality Management Committee (WQMC); and Jeff Rosen, a member of the Outfall Monitoring Science Advisory Panel (OMSAP) created as a permit condition for the Deer Island discharge.

Treated effluent from Falmouth’s main wastewater plant is currently discharged to groundwater infiltration basins within watersheds that drain to impaired coastal embayments in Buzzards Bay. To address constraints associated with land-based discharges and allow for additional sewering in the future, Falmouth officials decided in 2021 to pursue an ocean outfall to Buzzards Bay or Nantucket Sound. Based on initial analyses, the town selected a preferred pipeline corridor south of Falmouth Heights, at the western edge of Nantucket Sound and northeastern edge of Vineyard Sound. Detailed studies are under way to support design, engineering, and permitting of land-based and marine infrastructure and the effluent discharge itself.

On May 20, Amy and Steve will present an overview of Falmouth’s planned ocean outfall and ongoing studies. Based on OSMAP findings, Jeff will review the impacts of the Deer Island plant's discharge site on Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bay, including questions regarding PFAS, microplastics, and emerging stressors such as oxygen depletion and climate change.

Amy Lowell is wastewater superintendent for the Falmouth Department of Public Works, managing two treatment plants, the associated network of collection systems and discharge sites, and the planning and permitting of upgrades, expansions, and innovative nutrient control strategies. As WQMC chair, Steve Rafferty helps support and advise the Falmouth Select Board in exploring and advancing water quality solutions, building on previous experiences as Falmouth’s water superintendent and as an engineering consultant working on wastewater and water projects around the world. OSMAP member Jeff Rosen is a scientist, statistician, information manager, consultant, and technology developer with decades of experience in applying environmental research and monitoring data for regulatory development, implementation, and evaluation and the protection of water quality and marine resources.










-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.mbl.edu/pipermail/classifieds/attachments/20250519/ddf9ae5c/attachment.html