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Town of Mashpee Sewer Commission <br /> t <br /> 16 Great Neck Road North <br /> Mashpee, MA 02649 <br /> monitoring would be premature and could place the town at unnecessary financial risk. It was noted <br /> that PFAS is ubiquitous in consumer products such as toothpaste, dental floss, shampoo, and <br /> detergents, making its presence in wastewater inevitable. Testing for drinking water and wastewater is <br /> different. Limit is not needed to meet but no discharge is in drinking water areas.The debate <br /> underscored a tension between environmental responsibility and fiscal prudence. While there was <br /> agreement that PFAS is a concern,the Commission ultimately leaned toward a cautious approach, <br /> waiting for state and federal standards to evolve before committing to additional monitoring or <br /> treatment. Regulators and engineers are still learning effective management strategies. While there are <br /> currently no PFAS discharges into drinking water sources,the concern was raised that once the two <br /> water recovery facilities become operational, PFAS in effluent could theoretically reach watersheds and <br /> affect drinking water quality. <br /> Mr. Drainville admitted that questions about PFAS were valid but difficult to answer definitively at <br /> present. Chair Harris recommended placing the topic on a future agenda to allow for a more prepared, <br /> thorough response.The Commissioners agreed to revisit PFAS monitoring and management after <br /> October, ensuring the issue receives detailed consideration in a subsequent session. <br /> Overview of the SRF Program <br /> An overview of the State Revolving Fund (SRF)was provided, highlighting its role in financing water, <br /> wastewater, and stormwater (clean water) projects.The standard package typically includes a 20-year <br /> loan at 2%interest,though more favorable options have emerged in recent years.These options include <br /> 0% interest loans for communities that meet six specific requirements, including adoption of a flow- <br /> neutral bylaw, as well as principal forgiveness tied to income classification tiers. Additionally,the Cape <br /> and Islands Trust provides a 25% principal forgiveness option. For Mashpee, the standard financing <br /> package includes 0% interest, tier two classification forgiveness of 6.66%, and the additional 25% <br /> principal forgiveness.This structure represents a relatively recent development in the SRF program, <br /> evolving over the past eight to ten years. <br /> The funding process follows a three-year cycle: submission of a Project Evaluation Form (PEF) at the end <br /> of July(year one), issuance of a draft Intended Use Plan (IUP) in December, and a final IUP in March <br /> (year two).Applications for funding are then submitted in October(year two),followed by contract <br /> execution by June 30 of year three, after which the project enters the construction phase. <br /> Mr. Drainville displayed the state's IUP,which ranked Mashpee's Phase Two project at 540 points-500 <br /> for nitrogen removal and 40 for additional environmental benefits such as protecting coastal waters and <br /> drinking water supplies. Commissioners were briefed on the distinction between groundwater discharge <br /> permits and federal NPDES permits for surface water discharges. <br /> It was confirmed that the Phase Two project, submitted in 2024, had successfully made the state's list <br /> and was ready to advance to construction pending Town Meeting approval.While the original timeline <br /> required bidding and awarding contracts by June, Mashpee received a two-month extension to August. <br /> Letters are scheduled to go out to residents,with construction planned for 2025 through 2027. <br /> Commissioners thanked Mr. Drainville for his detailed explanation, noting that it clarified longstanding <br /> questions and provided a clear picture of the town's wastewater planning status. <br />