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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990-07-12 The Minutes of the Meeting of the Nantucket Board of Health at the Nantucket High School on Thursday, July 12, 1990 at 7:30 p.m.. All members of the Board were present with the exception of Ms. Coombs. Said meeting was a continuation of the public hearing held on May 31, 1990 regarding the Nantucket Water Resources Management Report offered by Horsely, Wittmen & Hegeman. Mr. Scott Horsely of Horsely, Wittman & Hegeman Engineers was present. Chairman Grossman commenced the meeting at 7:32 p.m. Chairman Grossman introduced Donald Harleman, Professor of Water Engineering at Massachusetts Institute Technology and resident of Nantucket Island to explain a brief overview of the scientific resources of the Horsely report. Recommendation ~ PRIVATE WELLS. Professor Harleman agreed with Recommendation #2. He stated the Commonwealth presently requires 100 ft. buffer zone separation between a private well and the septic system. Professor Harleman stated he believes said buffer zone should be extended to 300 ft. in the down-gradient direction (120 day travel time for inactivation of viruses) and that the water table maps show 300 ft. to be an adequate distance. Recommendation ~ TOXIC AHQ HAZARDOUS MATERIALS. Professor Harleman stated Recommendation #3 is more of a "good housekeeping" set of rules not based on any quantitative scientific findings. Recommendation ~ ON-SITE SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM. Professor Harleman stated Recommendation #4 is concerned with the distance between the bottom of the leaching facility and the maximum water table elevation. Professor Harleman pointed out that the Commonwealth requires a 4 ft. vertical separation between the leach facility and the water table. According to Professor Harleman, the projected sea level rise due to global warming will equal the projected rise in the water table (the fresh water bubble will also rise). He stated, in the next fifty or more years, the sea level will increase one to two feet. On this basis, Professor Harleman suggested changing Section 4D to include the entire island, not just areas within the projected sea level rise; since, he believes the whole island is projected to be within the sea level rise. Accordingly, Professor Harleman stated that Section 2A would be inconsistent and that Section 2B, which would be consistent, would not be needed. Recommendation ~ ADDITIONAL REGUIREMENTS EQR LARGE SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEMS. Professor Harleman stated Recommendation #5 proposes stricter ground water testing measures in order to asssure potable water quality adjacent to systems in excess of 2000 g.p.d. Recommendation ~ UP-GRADING aE SUBSTANDARD SYSTEMS. Professor Harleman stated Recommendation #6 suggests that on-site systems which do not comply with Commonwealth and Town standards, be brought up to compliance. Professor Harleman also reviewed records from the Town of Yarmouth: In 1960, 250 houses were built and 0 mg/l nitrogen concentration was found in water supply well. In 1985, 1,800 houses were built and 4.2 mg/l nitrogen concentration was found in water supply well. Comparing 0 mg/liters in 1960 to 4.2 mg/liters ln 1985, 4.2 mg/l is a substantial increase. On Nantucket, Professor Harleman stated we can not wait to test for nitrogen concentration sin~~ ~h~ ~R~~iH~ V~qUiVR~ fi~~ ~o t~n years for a corresponding increase of nitrogen to accumulate in the wells. Chairman Grossman opened up the floor to the public hearing for questions and comments on the recommendations aforementioned. RECOMMENDATION !Z: PRIVATE WELLS. Mr. James Cooper inquired as to who was to pay for the testing in Sections 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Mr. Horsely stated that there was a $50.00 fee per sample for well testing. He stated the Board of Health would pay for the the test mandated in Sections 7 and 8; but the private well owner would pay for the test mandated in Section 6 and the latter part of 7. Mr. Horsley pointed out that the 8 hours pump test could be done mechanically instead of by a person. Mr. Cooper asked if testing required by Sections 5-10 is done by the well driller, is the homeowner repsonsible? Mr. Viera inquired if 8 hours was an adequate time for testing. Mr. Horsely responded that 8 hours was the standard time for testing. Mrs. Sylvia Howard inquired as to what other towns in the Commonwealth have these testings done and what is the cost to the townspeople. Mr. Horsely responded, Wellfleet, Plainfield, Duxbury and Mashpee have said testings and that in Plainfiled, it costs $200.00 to 300.00; however, the test could be done for less than $100.00. Mr. Visco inquired of the Board of Health, where their authority was to establish said regulations. Mr. Horsely stated MGL Chapter 111 Section 31. Mr. Bachman stated according to the text of the Recommendation, permits are required for wells utilized for drinking purposes. He asked, "Do you need a permit only to drink water and not to bathe?" Mr. Grossman responded that wells are usually drilled to drink water among other purposes. Mr. Leddy suggested the idea of two wells. One well be drilled for the maximum gallons allowed for drinking only and the second well be drilled for other purposes. Mr. Cooper stated that the well driver would test the well when drilling it and the Board of Health would have to be there at the appropriate time. Mr. Ray reiterated that the areas to be tested are the extreme coastal areas. Mr. Bruce Poor asked, "How, since there is 50 ft. elevation in Squam with a substantial amount of clay beneath the top soil, are property owners to install wells and septic systems with a 300 ft. separation (because of clay)". Mr. Poor also inquired about salt water intrusion. Mr. Horsely stated that the land elevation is not as high as the water elevation and that to exclude any place higher than the 4 ft. water table elevation. The acquifer protection line heads northerly around the airport due to the high commercialism in that zone. Mr. Borchert motioned to delete Section 11; seconded by Mrs. Sevrens. So voted. Mr. Moretti stated that if a well is up 100 ft. separation from leach and now to have well close to the shore and leach closer to the road, the well would end up downgradiant of the leach field; now to reverse the situation would create many hardships. Mr. Visco suggested extending the water mains across the island to delete the number of private wells being installed. Mr. Borchert voted to accept Recommendation #2; seconded by Mrs. Sevrens. Mr. Viera stated that Section 6 should be put in as an exception; but, he would vote in favor of it. Mr. Borchert voted to approve Recommendation #2 with the following amendment to Section 6: change the wording to "outside of the 4 ft. Acquifer Protection Zone with the exception of the area on the south shore on Map #2"; seconded by Mrs. Sevrens. Mr. Bachman stated that this motion makes 1 and 2 acre lots unbuildable. Mr. Horseley disagreed. Mr. Moretti stated that if the well is up-gradiant of your septic system on the lot, it could be down-gradiant of someone else's septic system; he suggested the Board add 60.05 EFFECTIVE DATE to Recommendation #2. Mr. Viera suggested 60.05 be the adendum to Recommendation #2. Mr. Borchert questioned how the Board of Health was going to enforce the 300 ft separation if all existing lots were excluded. Mr. Borchert stated he wanted to wait to include existing lots. Mr. Ray suggested the Board not vote in favor of Recommendation #2 at that time. Mr. Viera withdrew his motion. Mr. Tillotson suggested to table said issue for one week. Mr. Grossman, Mr. Borchert and Mrs. Sevrens voted in favor of Recommendation #2 as amended by Mr. Borchert. Mr. Viera opposed. So voted. Recommendation ~ TOXIC AHQ HAZARDOUS MATERIALS. Mrs. Sevrens motioned to approve Recommendation #3 as stated; seconded by Mr. Viera. So voted, unaminously. Recommendation ~: ON-SITE SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEMS. Mr. Grossman motioned to add "and any tributary thereto" after Madaket Harbor in section 3A; seconded by Mr. Viera. Mr. Borchert motioned to amend Mr. Grossman's motion by adding "and any open water tributaries only to Madaket and Nantucket Harbors" following "ponds"; seconded by Mr. Grossman. So voted, unanimously. Mr. Borchert also motioned to amend Recommendation #4 by adding "as means to achieve in any floodplain A zone areas defined in flood plain maps" after "no mounteed system.. .permitted.. ."; seconded by Mr. Viera. SO voted, unanimously. Mr. Viera motioned to modify Section 2A from 5 ft. to 6 ft. and to delete Section 2B, as Professor Harleman suggested; seconded by Mrs. Sevrens. So voted, unanimously. Mr. Borchert motioned to add a new section, Section 5, to read as follows: "Access holes for septic systems and leach pits should be brought up to grade or at grade for new oonstruction; and, the Cover for said access holes be a minimum diameter of 18 and be made of medium weight or heavier cast iron ring and cover" (so that children can not flip it); seconded by Mr. Viera. So voted, unanimous. Mrs. Sevrens motioned to approve Recommendation #4 as amended; seconded by Mr. Viera. So voted, unanimously. Mr. Grossman asked that Recommendation #6 be addressed before #5 since the latter only pertained to only one property on the island. Recommendation ~ UPGRADING aE SUBSTANDARD SYSTEMS. Health Officer Ray stated that if no septic system record was filed with the Health Department, the septic tank cover must be found, with a probe, in order to see (1) what the tank is made of, (2) the size of the tank, and (3) the length and depth of the leach trench. Mr. Horsely stated that with the water table rising, the 6 ft separation between the leaching facilities and the water table may not be able to be met and perhaps not even the state minimum of 4 ft.; in that case, Mr. Horsley stated a variance must be sought. Mr. Borchert motioned to approve Recommendation #5 with the following amendment: addition of Section #3, "All systems must comply with the minimum standards of the Commpnwealth or Town at the time of installation and if there were no standards prior to 1972, the substandard system must be brought into compliance with Tital V"; seconded by Mr. Viera. So voted, unanimously. Mr. Ray suggested to include "on-site" in Recommendation #6 title between "substandard" and "systems". Recommendation ~ ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS EQR LARGE SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEMS. Mr. Russell Cleveland stated that there was no potable water down-gradiant of the leach system at the Wauwinet House. Mr. Horsely stated that Recommendation #5 not only focuses on the Wauwinet House but also focuses on the future. Mr. Viera motioned to strike the first sentence of the first paragraph on page 131 which reads as follows: "This regulation should be made retroactive with regard to sampling for existing large systems, such as the Wauwinet House". Mr. Grossman motioned to amend Mr. Viera's motion so that the first sentence remains with the deletion of ".., such as that at the Wauwinet House" . Mr. Robert Leichter stated that unless the airport was on sewer, the Airport is a system larger that the Wauwinet House. It was also noted that the Westender had a larger system as well. Mr. Grossman agreed. Mr. Viera motioned to approve Recommendation #5 with Mr. Grossman's amendment; seconded by Mr. Borchert. So voted, nanimously. There being no further business before the Board of Health, Mr. Grossman adjourned the meeting at 9:57 p.m.