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Sandwich leaders press committee for special act to share wastewater capacity at Joint Base Cape Cod
Summary
Representative Heather Harper told the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources that House 1073 would allow Sandwich to use underutilized wastewater infrastructure at Joint Base Cape Cod to meet urgent municipal wastewater needs.
Representative Heather Harper and other supporters presented House 1073 and asked the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources to favorably report the bill to permit Sandwich to explore shared wastewater treatment and disposal using existing infrastructure at Joint Base Cape Cod (JBCC).
Harper said the Commonwealth has already invested about $750,000 in feasibility work and that JBCC has underused wastewater capacity that could immediately provide up to 400,000 gallons per day for Sandwich’s phase-one plan, as documented in the town’s comprehensive wastewater-resources management plan. She described the base as a 22,000-acre military installation with roughly one-third of that land in Sandwich and emphasized long-standing mutual-aid relationships between the town and the base.
Supporters argued regional sharing of underutilized treatment capacity would be a cost-effective and environmentally responsible alternative to building new, standalone plants. They said additional local investment and state support would be required and asked the committee to advance the special-act approach to enable municipal cooperation and financing.
No committee vote was recorded at the hearing; chairs asked for written testimony and continued collaboration with the Cape Cod delegation.
