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Sandwich Asks Legislature for Special Act to Share Wastewater Infrastructure at Joint Base Cape Cod
Summary
Sandwich officials and supporters told lawmakers that sharing underused wastewater treatment capacity at Joint Base Cape Cod could meet the town’s near-term needs and offer a cost-effective regional solution; state agencies have already invested in feasibility work, sponsors said.
Representative Heather Harper and town supporters urged the committee to endorse a special act enabling Sandwich to access and share underused wastewater treatment infrastructure at Joint Base Cape Cod (JBCC).
Harper told the committee that Sandwich needs about 400,000 gallons per day for an initial phase of its comprehensive wastewater plan and that JBCC has existing capacity that could be used immediately. She said nearly one-third of the 22,000-acre base lies within Sandwich and described a decade of work among the town, the Department of Environmental Protection, the State Treasurer’s Office, the SRSF program, the EPA and other partners. Harper said nearly $750,000 of Commonwealth funding has gone into feasibility work and that sharing existing infrastructure is the most cost-effective and environmentally responsible regional option for Cape Cod’s wastewater needs.
Harper asked the committee for a special act to enable the legal and financial arrangements necessary for Sandwich to pursue the project. She noted that further local investment would be needed and that residents would be asked to consider local taxes to pay for the town’s share of a major infrastructure project. Committee members accepted written testimony and asked staff to include the town’s materials in the record; no committee votes were taken at the hearing.
