Information on the NEP Water Quality Grants (SNEP NEP funds II)
About July 30, 2015, both the Buzzards Bay NEP and Narragansett Bay Estuary Program released a $900,000 request for proposals for projects that address fresh or marine water quality degradation from nutrients, pathogens, and stormwater. Information about how to apply for those funds was posted at our SNEP page (formerly SNECWRP). Municipalities, non-profits, research and higher education entities were eligible to apply. Award Limits per proposal and per entity were $200,000 and $250,000 respectively, and pre-proposals were due September 15, 2015. Finalists were selected by a review committee, and invited proposals were due November 6, 2015. On January 11, 2016 the Buzzards Bay NEP announced through the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) and EEA the award of $794,478 in federal funds to six entities in the Buzzards Bay watershed. Read the 2015-SNEP-grants-press-release. Unspent funds were rolled into a subsequent grant round.
Funded Projects
Multi-Community Partnership to Reduce Nitrogen in Upper Buzzards Bay
Buzzards Bay Coalition, Inc., received $200,000 to collaborate with the Towns of Wareham, Bourne and Plymouth and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy to evaluate the feasibility of relocating the Wareham Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) discharge from the Agawam River to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy’s (MMA) existing, well-flushed discharge into the Cape Cod Canal. In addition, a sewer needs analysis was performed within the Agawam and Wareham Rivers, and Buttermilk and Little Buttermilk Bay watersheds, to determine how much sewering is required to meet water quality goals and to determine whether the WWTF can accommodate the higher volume.
Outcome: The Buzzards Bay Coalition submitted a Final Report to the Buzzards Bay NEP in June 2017. It was found that significant nitrogen reductions can be realized in the Agawam River by relocating the Wareham Wastewater Treatment Facility’s (WWTF) discharge to the Cape Cod Canal. The project illustrated through hydrodynamic modeling that the Cape Cod Canal’s ability to assimilate nitrogen from highly treated wastewater is significant. Furthermore, this project determined through a full survey of the MassDOT railroad right-of-way that locating a sewer force main for treated effluent in the right-of-way of the MassDOT railroad is possible, and upgrades to the Wareham WWTF can be made to accommodate the sewer needs of the towns to reduce nitrogen pollution to impaired waterbodies. Read the final report. This project has continued with additional grant and local funding, and the effort is described on the Buzzards Bay Coalition project update page.
Quantifying Nitrogen Removal by Innovative Alternative Septic Systems and Potential for Enhanced Nitrogen Removal by Labile Carbon Addition
The Marine Biological Laboratory received $175,918 to collaborate with the Buzzards Bay Coalition, Inc. and Barnstable County Department of Health and the Environment to quantify the nitrogen removal benefits of conversion of traditional Title V septic systems to innovative alternative (I/A) systems, including whether the addition of a carbon source will increase nitrogen removal in I/A systems. The project took place along the West Falmouth Harbor coastline.
Outcome: The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) submitted a final report to the Buzzards Bay NEP in September 2018. Through groundwater tracer experiments using simulated nitrogen plumes from an I/A system, it was found that almost no added nitrogen was removed during a short-distance passage through the aquifer in the test wellfields. They concluded that if nitrogen removal rates are low it will be difficult to see changes over short distances, but that this does not indicate that there is no nitrogen removal in aquifers, but simply that the rate of removal is low. According to MBL, this finding was consistent with the current understanding of nitrogen removal in Cape Cod groundwater. In addition, they found the volume and cost of the amount of carbon that would have to be added to septic effluent to see a decrease in nitrogen would be impractical. Read the final report.
Aucoot Cove Partnership to Reduce Nitrogen from Septic Systems
The Town of Marion received $200,000 to coordinate with the Town of Mattapoisett and the Buzzards Bay Coalition, Inc. to hire a consultant to design an expanded sewage collection system from the Town of Marion’s Wastewater Treatment Facility into the existing densely-developed neighborhoods of Indian Cove (Marion) and Harbor Beach (Mattapoisett) on Aucoot Cove.
Outcome: The Town of Marion submitted a final report to the Buzzards Bay NEP in June 2017. The Town’s consultant found that, based on the Waste Water Treatment Plant’s (WWTP) capacity analysis, it would only be feasible to extend sewer service to both neighborhoods in the project area if Marion decides to expand its outfall to the head of the salt marsh in order to eliminate the phosphorus limit included in its new NPDES permit. Otherwise, the WWTP would not have sufficient capacity to service all 158 homes in the project area due to the decrease in available capacity associated with chemical phosphorus removal at the WWTP. There would be sufficient capacity to provide service to the Indian Cove neighborhood without extension to the outfall. Read the final report.
West Falmouth Harbor Oyster Reef Development Project
Town of Falmouth received $53,950 to expand an oyster reef in West Falmouth Harbor near Mashapaquit Creek to evaluate the approach as a tool to reduce total nitrogen concentrations in the estuary. The intent of the effort was to provide a biological filter for water in the Snug Harbor area, where there has been a significant degradation in water quality and habitat due to nutrients. The town expanded an existing quarter acre reef to one acre by planting an additional 1,500 bags of oyster spat-on-shell. The monitoring results of this project would help inform whether oyster reefs can effectively improve water quality in West Falmouth Harbor and other similar estuaries.
Outcome: The Town of Falmouth submitted a final report to the Buzzards Bay NEP in April 2017. Based on field measurements, the estimated population of oysters that were bottom planted in 2016 was approximately 308,000. For planning purposes it was assumed the mortality of an oyster bed is 50%. From these figures, the town estimated that the nitrogen uptake in shell and soft tissue for this installation was almost 50 kg per year. Some additional nitrogen may be filtered out of the water column and deposited in sediments, but this was not quantified in this study. The cost in terms of dollars per kilograms of nitrogen harvested was $272. At an estimated 50% mortality, an oyster bed covering an acre could support a population of over 2 million oysters and uptake over 350 kg N/year. Read the final report.
Sconticut Neck Stormwater Design for Pathogen and Nutrient Management
The Town of Fairhaven received $58,350 to prepare designs and permit applications for green infrastructure stormwater best management practices at four high priority outfalls on Sconticut Neck. The intent of the effort was to reduce pathogen and nutrient loading and other stormwater pollutants to Little Bay and Nasketucket Bay. The town also proposed to conduct an inspection of septic systems on Sconticut Neck. Owners of failed septic systems were to be required to tie into the town’s existing sewer line pursuant to the town’s sewer bylaw.
Outcome: The Town of Fairhaven submitted a final report to the Buzzards Bay NEP in June 2017. The town hired an engineering firm to provide final design plans and regulatory permit applications for the four high priority outfalls in the project area. The four retrofit Best Management Practices proposed will provide water quality treatment by filtering the captured runoff through a layer of sand media. Two sites will accomplish this through the use of pervious concrete and subsurface sand filtration and two will use surface sand filters. Town staff also attended septic system inspection training, the knowledge from which was used to conduct functional system inspections on 39 properties to determine whether the existing septic system was adequate to serve the wastewater disposal needs of the household. Through this project, five households were identified that needed to tie-in to the town sewer system. At the time of the final report, three households had permits in place to perform the tie-ins and the town was actively working with the other two households. View the engineering plans prepared for the town.
Rogers Street Stormwater Wetland Demonstration Project
Town of Dartmouth received $106,260 to coordinate with the City of New Bedford to implement a series of Best Management Practices, including construction of an underground detention system and several proprietary treatment units, to treat stormwater runoff resulting from two outfalls located at the end of Rodgers Street in Dartmouth. These outfalls discharge untreated stormwater runoff, which is generated from roadways in both Dartmouth and New Bedford, into Clark’s Cove.
Outcome: The Town of Dartmouth submitted a final engineering plans to the Buzzards Bay NEP in June 2017. In an effort to save money, the town merged this stormwater project with an adjacent project to develop a boat launch ramp, as a way of consolidating engineering services to a single consultant and construction by a single contractor performing both components of the overall project. This resulted in significant delays to the project and the construction portion of the stormwater project was not able to be completed by the project deadline. However, the town did complete the design and permitting portion of the project and it intends to seek additional funds to complete the construction phase in the future.