09/19/2023 BOARD OF HEALTH Minutes

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$900,000. The respondent noted if the system was compatible and there would be no sewer the respondent could start working on the system – just need to get financing. Turning to the Commissioners, Mr. Raposa noted the respondent has an approved system and is now waiting for financing – asking “when?” The respondent returned the “change in regulation” as reason for putting the upgrade on pause. Mr. Seabury reiterated it was the “best available technology.” It was not the case that a regulation change would cause the prior installation under current regulation to be upgraded – unless there was a failure. The respondent said it would need to look at the DEP and Barnstable County regulation and speak further with Mr. Seabury. In the meantime, the respondent noted it will continue to pump and had time to get a new system in thp place to not be in violation prior to May 19, 2024. Mr. Seabury noted he wanted more communication. Mr. Virgilio asked about the Title V regulations – Mr. Seabury noted they went th( into effect July 7 (designating new Nitrogen sensitive areas) but commercial enforcement won’t th be until January 2024 with full implementation two years after July 7, 2023. Mr. Seabury went onto describe a watershed permit with a Nitrogen mitigation plan as a possible exception but noted that wouldn’t help since being within 300’ buffer of a waterway would require an I/A system in any event. The respondent asked for better communication as well. Concluding the hearing, Mr. Seabury noted the BOH would stay in contact and see the respondent prior to May th 19, 2024. Sludgehammer Presentation via Zoom Dr. Dan Wickham, the inventor of the Sludgehammer, gave a short company history and his background. Starting his educational career at Wayne State where he obtained a master’s degree (Fresh Water Biology) and culminating with a PhD from the University of California – Berkely (Marine Biology). After obtaining his PhD he received a grant which was ½ time and spent the other ½ working as vintner. The winery was critical to the Sludgehammer since it involved industrial scale microbiology (bacteria and yeast) and the fermentation process. In 1989 Dr. Wickham became involved with a group that had discovered a culture of bacteria mix that ate oil – bioremediation. The bacterial blend was used to compost contaminated soil adding cow manure. This led to meeting a dairy farmer who was being cited for ammonia contamination due to runoff from manure lagunes. The dairy farmer asked if Dr. Wickham could use his bacterial system to alleviate this problem. After inoculating the manure with bacteria blend fermentation took place – causing the lessening viscosity of the manure lagunes and the realization that this could be applied to wastewater. The key was to find a bacterium that was very aggressive in eating waste. This turned out to be bacteria found in soil – eating dead material. This bacterium grows quickly, competes with one another, and uses anaerobic fermentation to produce oxygen when it is not available. Continuing his discussion on the Sludgehammer, Dr. Wickham discovered adding Sludgehammer to a septic (without the bacteria mix) resulted in ammonia being converted to Nitrates. After introducing the bacteria mix, nitrates in the tank were undetectable. The sequence allowed for the two bacterium types to reduce nitrogen. Using drip irrigation also allows the material to be used as fertilizer and further breakdown not requiring leeching fields – particularly beneficial to lake properties. Comparing the standard system, Septic with Sludgehammer, and Septic with Sludgehammer and drip irrigation, it was found that there was a significant drop in phosphates as well with the Septic with Sludgehammer and drip irrigation. (Converting anaerobic to aerobic could be the solution to phosphates). Dr. Wickham noted that the Sludgehammer can be retrofitted into an existing system – a major cost savings for wastewater treatment.