10/16/2025 SEWER COMMISSION Minutes (2)

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Town of Mashpee Sewer Commission t 16 Great Neck Road North Mashpee, MA 02649 challenges are shared across communities but that the Commission's priority must remain on protecting Mashpee's water quality. She expressed deep appreciation to Mr. Drainville and the wastewater department staff for their dedication and hard work in navigating these challenges. Ms. Harris remarked that their persistence in pursuing available funding and drafting strong applications has made Mashpee one of the fortunate towns to receive significant support. She compared the process to writing strong grant proposals if the work is well-prepared and justified, the chances of funding success increase and she thanked the team for its diligence in securing those opportunities. Clarification on the PFAS Plume and Remediation Commissioner Alfred Towle inquired about the "presumed"PFAS area, asking if there was a realistic way to confirm whether contamination truly existed or whether such investigation could create additional complications. In response, Ms. Fisher explained that the term "presumed" means "more likely than not" contaminated, and that even within the confirmed plume, there are expected extensions further south. These presumed concentrations make it impractical to invest time and resources in detailed confirmation testing because the outcome would likely reaffirm what is already understood that contamination exists. She also noted that PFAS compounds have already been detected in blue crabs and quahogs in the Quashnet area, indicating that the plume has migrated southward through the groundwater. Ms. Harris asked whether the military base was taking steps to mitigate the contamination. Ms. Fisher confirmed that the cleanup efforts are underway. The Joint Base Cape Cod and the U.S. Air Force's environmental team have proposed installing additional extraction wells along Sandwich Road and in parts of Falmouth. These systems would use carbon filtration to remove PFAS from the groundwater before re-injecting the treated water back underground. She added that while some of these wells have been operating successfully for over a decade, the timeline for completing additional wells remains unclear. CHAIR REPORT Chair's Report: Public Awareness, Town Meeting, and Easement Clarifications Chair Harris highlighted a newly produced Public Service Announcement(PSA) created by Select Board member Colombo for Mashpee TV. The video provides an informative overview of the Mashpee—Wakeby Watershed and the Popponesset Bay Sewer Project, clearly explaining why the project is important and why action is needed now. Ms. Harris praised the PSA's clarity and urged residents to watch it, as it helps the public understand the reasoning behind the town's current wastewater initiatives. She reminded everyone that the upcoming Town Meeting would be held on October 20th and encouraged strong public attendance and participation. While emphasizing that the Commission was not advocating how anyone should vote, she underscored the importance of being informed and voting on key issues. She asked residents to pay particular attention to Article 4, which