Eleven homes that are being mandated by the Department of Public Health to connect to sewer are not currently included in the Buzzards Bay Coalition’s septic to sewer incentive program, but both the Coalition and town officials would like to see that happen. 

Designed to reduce the approximately 3,200 pounds of nitrogen entering the Apponagansett Bay watershed annually, “Connect to Protect Apponagansett Bay” would allow residents to connect to sewer with the help of the program's financial and technical assistance, according to Dan Goulart, Buttonwood to Bay project manager for the Buzzards Bay Coalition.

The Board of Public Works has “conceptually” approved a reduced sewer connection fee, bringing the cost down from $2,500 to $1,500 for program participants. Goulart said additional funding from the program would help bring this to $600 for those participants.

About 80 of the 122 Dartmouth properties along the bay’s watershed that are on septic, but overlay the existing sewer network, have been narrowed down for the qualifications of the program, Goulart said. The goal of the two-year pilot is to connect 40 homes.

However, because the program is paid in part by the Environmental Protection Agency Pilot Watershed Initiative Grant, the 11 properties mandated to connect have not yet been included.

Goulart said barring any regulation that would prevent the Coalition from using those funds on the mandated properties, “those are exactly the people I want to help.”

Select Board Chair Shawn McDonald suggested the Department of Public Works meet with the co-town administrators to request an additional $100,000 in free cash, which could not only allow double the amount of homes to get connected, but would allow those mandated homes to participate in the program without any “hassle” with the Environmental Protection Agency.

Goulart, in favor of the idea, said getting these 11 homes connected is just as important as the other 122, “if not more so if they have a failing system.”

Additionally, Goulart said Public Works and the Coalition are figuring out which homeowners among this 80 have paid a betterment, exempting them from the connection fee, and possible options for payment plans for those who will have to pay.