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Falmouth board approves multiple nitrogen‑reducing septic systems and provisional IA use for shoreline properties
Summary
The Board approved several local upgrade requests and provisional approvals for advanced (nitro/IA) septic technologies — including proposals at 380 Wild Harbor Road, 34 Benito Avenue and 18 Woodruff Lane — citing increased environmental protection while attaching monitoring and operational conditions.
The Falmouth Board of Health voted to approve multiple local upgrade requests and the use of advanced nitrogen‑reducing septic technologies for several properties in nitrogen‑sensitive areas.
At 380 Wild Harbor Road, Tim Santos of Merrill Engineers told the board the project would tear down and rebuild a three‑bedroom home on an existing footprint and incorporate an IA (advanced nitrogen‑reducing) system because the lot lies in the town’s nitrogen‑regulated area. Santos asked for several local variances tied to setbacks. After questions about the force main tie‑in and groundwater assumptions, a board member moved to find no increase in flow and to approve use of an IA system on the condition the owner accept the provisional status, monitoring and maintenance requirements. The motion carried by voice vote.
Later the board approved an advanced treatment/nitro design for 34 Benito Avenue. Mike Borselli of Falmouth Engineering said the undeveloped lot is proposed for a new 4‑bedroom house with a 1,500‑gallon tank and a nitro unit; the board approved the provisional IA use and attached standard monitoring and conditions.
The Buzzards Bay Coalition’s project at 18 Woodruff Lane — a plan to add IA systems to existing homes — was also approved. Chuck Rowland, representing the engineering firm, said the request used the best available technology even where not strictly required by Title 5; the board found the systems appropriate and approved them with standard conditions.
Board members emphasized that the approvals were contingent on monitoring, operation and maintenance commitments and cautioned that provisional technologies require follow‑up. During the meeting staff presented recent performance summaries for IA systems in town; average total nitrogen in lab samples has trended downward in treated systems, and the board requested another summary at the end of the summer to review performance across approved sites.
The approvals reflect the board’s continuing effort to reduce nutrient loads near sensitive ponds and coastal resources while balancing cost and feasibility for property owners.
