11/20/2025 SEWER COMMISSION Minutes (2)

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Town of Mashpee Sewer Commission t 16 Great Neck Road North Mashpee, MA 02649 PHASING FLEXIBILITY & FIVE-YEAR REASSESSMENT GHD emphasized that the proposed long-range phasing plan is not locked in for 20 years; the Town will have opportunities to re-phase every five years based on updated data, construction progress, and nitrogen-removal results. Commissioners asked whether they were being asked to approve the plan now or simply to acknowledge the administration's direction. Mr. Drainville explained that the next required step is submission of the updated plan to MEPA, and the Town will ultimately need formal authorization to proceed. MEPA APPROVAL & WHICH BOARD AUTHORIZES SUBMISSION Mr. Drainville clarified that MEPA approval is necessary for the Town to seek future state funding for sewer projects. While GHD seeks authorization to submit the updated plan, they are unsure whether formal approval must come from the Sewer Commission, the Select Board, or both. In many towns, the Select Board acts as the formal submitting authority. Staff recalled that past sewer decisions involved joint Select Board/Sewer Commission meetings, suggesting a similar joint process may be required. SUB-PHASING AFTER PHASE 3 GHD reviewed the next steps: once calculations and nitrogen-removal modeling are completed, the plan will shift from large phases to smaller"mini-phases." Each subsequent phase could be broken into three sub-sections, allowing the Town to pursue more moderate construction projects at regular intervals instead of infrequent large efforts. Commissioners suggested that once GHD completes the revised phasing math, the Commission should hold a review meeting before forwarding anything to the Town. PHASE 3 LOCATION & WEST SIDE TREATMENT FACILITY STUDY Commissioners revisited Phase 3,recalling that the Town cannot use the original Phase 3 plan from the 2015 document. Mr. Drainville confirmed this and explained that a new treatment facility is being evaluated for the west side of town, as the 2015 plan originally suggested. GHD is conducting a separate study to identify an appropriate treatment plant site and groundwater recharge site, with the area west of Johns Pond serving as the target sewer area for that facility. Commissioners viewed this as significant and positive progress.