A better way to treat waste and reduce nitrogen – Cape Cod Times

The Jan. 20 My View encouraging the populace to "Support regional wastewater treatment plant" was really an infomercial. But No Sale.

I urge readers to Google "Least costly passive nitrogen-reducing residential septic systems." There they will find a listing for Nitrex a proven system that reduces nitrogen levels between 87% and 97%, as tested on Cape Cod and in other parts of the country. A system for a three- to four-bedroom house with a life span of more than 50 years installed with a leaching field would cost between $22,000 and $30,000. It would also substantially reduce phosphorous and all other contaminants.

Then, Googling "Best residential wastewater treatment systems to eliminate nitrogen," one finds a listing for a Norweco system by A.J. Foss, with nitrogen reductions of 87% and costing about the same.

The writer noted that installing innovative alternative systems at each of the 10,000 homes causing much of Yarmouths pollution, at a cost of about $30,000 per home, would come to $300 million in one-time costs, good for at least 50 years. That's $100 million less than the $400 million initial estimate for the 40-year regional wastewater treatment plant planned for Yarmouth (a true savings).

Wouldn't it make more sense to take the 0% state loans and create a financing plan for home and business property owners to borrow, and/or to pay for residents living near, at or below the poverty line, to install near-lifetime backyard systems that take care of the pollutants infiltration problem better than a main batch plant could, and have almost every property converted within 10 years while having infiltration reduced with every conversion and pay as you go?

Or would we rather have: town water supply rates triple what they are now, as in Chatham? a sewer usage charge three times the water rate (as in the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority district around Boston)? a multithousand-dollar street sewer pipe connection fee? the cost of rerouting in-house waste pipe plumbing from going out to the backyard across the cellar floor to the street out front? the cost of capping over the old septic system out back or removing it entirely? praying till kingdom come that one town official's claim that "the project could be funded without raising property tax rates" pans out and holds true for 40-plus years? hoping the never-ending traffic tie-ups don't last long each time and that rescue teams can reach us in emergencies and get us to the hospital before it's too late?

Wouldn't it be far better to immediately reduce the pollutant infiltration upon the first year, and time the residential property backyard conversions, instead of taking 10 years to put the batch plant and main trunk lines in place, with any substantial reduction of pollutant levels and improvement of the above-ground water and ecology taking 20 to 30 years from start? Perhaps the business development around town is declining because property, rental and tax costs are already too high. With little manufacturing on Cape, we will kill the goose that laid the golden egg on Cape: real estate (retirees moving here, the home improvement market, summer rentals).

In 10 years we could be done, not 40; the waterways would clean and protected years sooner; housing would be more affordable for all residents (affordable towns and housing already being in short supply); and the ambiance and beauty of life on Cape would continue in an undisturbed, more affordable way. State lawsuit threats overboard home rule should apply in this case.

Otherwise, the "Ironshop Rules" still apply: "Can do!"; "where there's a will, there's a way"; "your job is to make things better, not worse"; "you're paid to think!"; "the Golden Rules apply"; "teamwork"; and "no excuses, just results get it done, now!"

Frank L. Montani, a former steelworker, lives in South Yarmouth. He has no financial stake in, or personal connection to, any of the systems mentioned.

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A better way to treat waste and reduce nitrogen - Cape Cod Times