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Board hears that consultants have requested MassDEP waiver on total organic carbon for Bayberry effluent; staff to research
Summary
Board members were informed that project consultants requested a MassDEP waiver related to total organic carbon (TOC) removal for treated wastewater proposed to be applied at Bayberry; the board asked staff to research MassDEP rules and monitoring reports for reclaimed water.
The Town of Yarmouth Board of Health discussed tests and permitting issues for treated wastewater at the Bayberry secondary site and heard that project consultants have requested a waiver from Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection requirements for total organic carbon (TOC) removal.
A board member said the consultants "requested a waiver from MassDEP on the total organic carbon that is being removed from the treated wastewater that's going to be going to Bayberry," and asked whether the issue had appeared previously when the effluent diversion was discussed. The board was told that the TOC requirement has been an issue from the outset for zone-2 applications and that consultants are pursuing the waiver as part of permitting.
Board members discussed whether the town or RACC routinely review effluent reports from other communities; staff said review of other towns' wastewater effluent is not standard practice and that detailed testing and regulatory interaction generally occur between project consultants and MassDEP. Town staff said consultants have performed test pits at Bayberry and that multiple test holes had favorable results for site suitability, but that the TOC metric remains a MassDEP compliance question for zone-2 disposal or irrigation.
The board asked staff to research MassDEP TOC standards and to determine whether example monitoring reports from operating reclaimed-water projects are available for review; staff agreed to follow up.
Ending note: No formal action was taken; the board requested staff research and signaled interest in seeing regulatory limits and monitoring approaches for reclaimed water intended for irrigation.
