Water Quality Updates: Ocean Outfall, Urine Diversion, Water Monitoring In Perch Pond
Published by the Falmouth Enterprise on 8/8/25 printed edition, page 7 and online here, written by Katie NelsonÂ
The Water Quality Management Committee has begun its public outreach regarding the ocean outfall pipe proposed by the town.
The outfall will discharge treated wastewater into Vineyard Sound off Kite Beach in Falmouth Heights. When the outfall is in place, discharge to the sand beds and the wastewater treatment plant will cease.
The project is still in its permitting, surveying and planning phases. Last winter, marine borings off of Kite Park were taken to test the subterranean soil. The data collected will determine the soil composition in the area and inform directional drilling efforts and will be used to design the outfall.
During the committee’s meeting Wednesday, August 6, chairman Stephen D. Rafferty and other members of the committee, including Edward F. Jalowiec, said they met with the Falmouth Heights and Maravista neighborhood associations to discuss the ocean outfall project and answer resident questions about the project.
The committee also voted unanimously to recommend that the Select Board authorize Town Manager Michael Renshaw to complete an environmental notification form regarding the ocean outfall project, which will then be sent to the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act Office.
The committee agreed to have a statement of support prepared in writing, which will be included in the next Select Board meeting packet.
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A potential waiver for the 25 urine diversion pilot volunteers that will be selected by the Massachusetts Alternative Septic System Test Center (MASSTC) was discussed by the committee. The discussion was led by vice-chairman Stephen B. Leighton, who is the committee’s liaison to the urine diversion working group.
Leighton presented the idea of allowing the 25 participants to have an innovative and alternative (I/A) septic system mandate be waived for their properties for ten years while participating in the pilot study and while urine diversion systems remain operating in their homes.
Members of the committee wanted to see more parameters before supporting the potential waiver. Kenneth D. Foreman suggested that the committee “be more rigorous in what we’re demanding,” before handing out waivers.
Member John B. Waterbury said he felt the discussion on waivers was coming too soon. He said he felt discussing support of waivers was inappropriate because the committee has not seen the pilot project’s design or parameters yet.
Rafferty said his hope for the project was that the state would recognize urine diversion as a type of I/A system. Without recognition from the state that classifies urine diversion as an I/A system, property owners with urine-diverting systems are not eligible for state tax credits.
Leighton said providing a waiver for such a small percentage of the town, who would be actively reducing their nitrogen contribution, is a “reasonable incentive.”
Maggie McGaw, resident and member of the Citizens for the Protection of Waquoit Bay, said the urine diversion program is “so worth supporting.” She added that the expense to design a home plumbing system to accommodate urine-diverting toilets is a “big expense” and commitment that the 25 volunteers would be making for the “greater good.” She agreed with Leighton and said a waiver seems to be a fair incentive.
Kim Comart, resident and member of the Falmouth Freshwater Pond Coalition, and member of the urine diversion working group, agreed with Foreman and member Jonathan Kaufman, who said the language of the proposed waiver “needs to be tightened up.” Comart said the group is working on a draft contract agreement for volunteers. The agreement will outline more clearly the requirements and parameters for volunteers, Comart said.
Comart also suggested that the Board of Health be looped into the discussion on waivers for I/A systems.
Member Thomas Duncan suggested that the committee table the discussion and put it on a future agenda, perhaps with additional members of the urine diversion working group. The board voted to continue the discussion at an upcoming meeting, with one dissenting vote from Leighton.
Water datalogger instruments that will monitor oxygen, connectivity (interchange of water and nutrients between waterbodies) and underwater light levels in Perch Pond have been acquired. The data collected now in Perch Pond will be compared with data collected after the Great Pond Phase One sewer project. This initiative is being led by Foreman and consultant Kristen Rathjen, of ScienceWares, Inc.
Foreman and Rathjen are working to identify properties on the pond with docks that will allow the instruments in the water, near their docks. The instruments do not have a mechanism to wipe off their sensors, and will need to be cleaned manually, Foreman said.
Foreman said he is hopeful that the instruments will be in place in Perch Pond before the end of this summer.
Data collected from the datalogger instruments will be in addition to data collected by students from the School of Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Wastewater Superintendent Amy A. Lowell said SMAST data is collected “every couple weeks,” and the more consistent data collected from the datalogger instrument will provide valuable information.
Foreman and Rathjen said they will continue to look for property owners willing to assist in placing the instruments in Perch Pond.