Subject:
E-mail Circular
Date:
Thursday, July 19, 2001 1:27 PM
The Town
of Falmouth, Massachusetts is being funded by the US Air Force to
reduce
nitrogen concentrations in three of our coastal ponds. Management of
the
project has been assigned by our Board of Selectmen to a committee of
volunteers,
which I chair. The committee=s website
www.geocities.com/ashumet2001
provides the initial committee report, which
defines
the pollution problem and outlines potential remedies, plus activity
updates.
On-site septic systems are the chief source
of nitrogen loading and
sewering
the densely populated peninsulas that border the coastal ponds
seems
inescapable. The upper watershed areas
are considerably larger and
less
populated, however, and it has been suggested that artificial wetlands
could be
constructed to intercept much of the nitrogen being generated
there. Freshwater ponds and streams are located
up-gradient and adjacent to
the
coastal ponds, in areas presently being used for cranberry bogs owned in
part by
the Town.
We understand constructed wetlands have shown
the ability to remove
considerable
proportions of nitrogen from wastewater effluent, which
obviously
contains much higher concentrations than our stream flows.
Limited
sampling of fresh water immediately above the three coastal ponds
has found
total nitrogen concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 mg/L, mainly
as
nitrate, with discharges ranging from 0.8 to 9.6 MGD per stream.
If it is
feasible to apply constructed wetlands to such low concentrations,
even if
only in the most bioactive warm weather season, we would like to
issue an
RFP to design, construct and monitor one or more demonstration
projects. Thus far, however, we have been unable to
determine that
feasibility,
either positively or negatively.
If you
believe that effective removal of nitrogen is possible in our
circumstances,
and you are interested in becoming an advising consultant or
design and
build contractor for a demonstration project, please tell us:
1. Why you
believe effective removal of nitrogen is feasible in the
circumstances
described, and roughly how much surface area would be required
for the
wetland; and
2.
Examples of your experience in designing, or knowledge of, constructed
wetlands,
particularly in regard to polishing systems or other applications
that have
been successful in treating relatively low concentrations of
nitrogen.
Alternatively,
if you believe constructed wetlands are not likely to be
effective
in our circumstances, please tell us that as well. The committee
very much
desires to reach a feasibility determination, and will give
serious
consideration to engaging a well-qualified consultant able to
demonstrate
definitively that our circumstances are not likely to be
conducive
to use of artificial wetlands for nitrogen removal.
.
You may
contact us at: [email protected] with a
copy to:
[email protected], or by mail at the address shown below. Thanks
for your
interest; we look forward to hearing from you.
John E
Barnes, Chairman
Ashumet
Plume Citizens Committee
Falmouth
Town Hall, 59 Town Hall Square
Falmouth,
Massachusetts 02540