Under the Lens by Elise Hugus
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Posts Tagged ‘Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan’
Wednesday, June 1st, 2011
Green Pond, Bournes Pond, and Eel Pond in East Falmouth
A week after a day-long symposium on the potential for outfall pipes to handle the Cape’s wastewater problem, I’ve finally figured out what’s been bothering me.
It seems that wastewater managers and engineers, in their infinite wisdom, operate according to the “if it can be complicated, why make it simple?” ethic.
The speakers at the ocean outfall forum did not mince words: it would take no less than an amendment to three state acts protecting marine resources—not to mention, years of study and millions of dollars— for an outfall pipe to be constructed on these shores.
They were less candid about the probable impacts on the environment— and were subtle about the whole reason for entertaining the idea of an ocean outfall: it’s cheaper than the only other “approved” method of disposing of wastewater. (more…)
Tags: aquaculture, cape cod, Climate Change, composting toilets, Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan, ocean outfall, sustainability, urine diverting toilets, Wastewater, water reuse
Posted in Sewering, sustainable solutions, Wastewater | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011
Are we flushing money down the toilet?
As someone who goes to a fair share of wastewater-related meetings, I wasn’t expecting to be blown away at last weekend’s Eco-Toilet Summit.
On a conceptual level, I felt I already understood the basics of composting human waste— hey, I do it every day with food scraps.
Adding one step through my digestive system to my garden seemed to make sense… from a theoretical point of view.
But after hearing about the range of eco-toilet options available, and a variety of perspectives from regular residents, the theoretical became possible.
What stopped making sense is the way we use—and view—the bathroom.
(more…)
Tags: cape cod, composting toilets, Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan, Earle Barnhart, Eco-Toilet Summit, Falmouth Climate Action Team, Falmouth MA, fertilizer, Hilde Maingay, Matt Patrick, nitrogen, packaging toilets, sustainability, The Green Center, urine diverting toilets, Wastewater
Posted in Agriculture, Alternative toilets, Sewering, sustainable solutions, Wastewater | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, January 25th, 2011
A typical urine-diverting toilet collects solid and liquid waste, which could be processed into fertilizer, removing nitrogen from the waste stream
Considering that we all flush at least three times a day, it’s surprising how little we know about where our waste goes. Into a white bowl and then down a pipe— never to be seen, smelled, or thought of again.
But as many Cape Codders are beginning to realize, that’s not really the case. The by-products of our waste are seeping out of underground septic systems and into the groundwater, flowing finally into coastal ponds. The nutrients are harmless by themselves, but in concentrated form, throw off the ecological balance of sensitive estuarine systems.
Though there are many nutrients and “contaminants of concern” to be worried about, nitrogen is known as the culprit for changing pristine harbors into algae-filled swamps, devoid of marine life. Or so we fear. (more…)
Tags: aquaculture, cape cod, composting toilets, Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan, contaminants of concern, David Dow, Diane Murphy, fertilizer, George Heufelder, gray water, John Ramsey, Michael Giggey, Nitrex, nitrogen, permeable membrane reactors (PRB), Rick York, Ron Zweig, Sewering, shellfish, urine diverting toilets, Wastewater, water reuse
Posted in Sewering, sustainable solutions, Wastewater | 4 Comments »
Friday, December 24th, 2010
Discussion at a Falmouth Board of Health meeting over a proposed nutrient management bylaw–likely to be on the April town meeting warrant–sparked an important exchange between a lawyer who tends to represent homeowners and builders and a board concerned that a sewer system will encourage development, thus increasing the town’s nitrogen load. (more…)
Tags: cape cod, composting toilets, Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan, Earle Barnhart, Falmouth, Hilde Maingay, nitrogen, Sewering
Posted in Sewering, sustainable solutions, Wastewater | No Comments »
Tuesday, September 21st, 2010
A Hatchville couple wants the town to consider home-based wastewater treatment options before moving forward with a multi-million dollar, centralized sewage treatment system. (more…)
Tags: Alchemy Farm, aquaculture, biogas digester, cape cod, composting toilets, Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan, Earle Barnhart, Falmouth Climate Action Team, fertilizer, gray water, Hilde Maingay, packaging toilets, Ron Smolowitz, Ron Zweig, Sewering, shellfish, The Green Center, Todd Ecological Design, urine diverting toilets, Wastewater, water reuse
Posted in sustainable solutions, Wastewater | 4 Comments »
