Sewer Commissioners again endorse planning concept

At its meeting on March 31, the Bourne Board of Sewer Commissioners endorsed in concept a plan for expanding wastewater treatment capacity in Bourne's Downtown using a two-phase approach:

• Install a packaged plant with 100,000 gallons per day (gpd) capacity, linked to the previously identified area for subsurface disposal of treated wastewater. With permitting, engineering, manufacturing and installation, the facility could be available in two years.
• Work with neighboring towns to create a regional agreement for treating wastewater and disposing  the treated effluent in the Cape Cod Canal. This plan has become possible only recently with the change in the state's Ocean Sanctuaries Act to allow ocean outfall of treated wastewater. This phase could take up to ten years to implement. With a Canal outfall, Wareham's plant could be expanded to treat five million gpd or more. Two million would more than meet Bourne's needs in the long-term

See attachment for full report.

UPDATE: As planning progressed, Wastewater Planning Coordinator Wesley Ewell made a presentation to the Board of Sewer Commissioners on January 19, 2016. He described the concept included here under "News and Announcements." At the end of his presentation, the Commissioners voted unanimously to endorse the plan and to encourage the planning to continue as discussed.