HomeMy Public PortalAboutWQAP 2016-01-20 DRA I N OWQAP Meeting 17 February 2016
1. Approval of Meeting Minutes of January 20, 2016 t"'"e-
i iR`LEANS MN i_{,a"k
The minutes from the January 20th meeting were approved without changes.
2. Downtown Planning Study Summary and Next Steps
Betsy Shreve-Gibbs AECOM's consultant, presented the results of the Orleans
town center planning study now underway. As part of this study, AECOM
conducted two well-attended workshops to review their current progress and to
get feedback from the public on their preliminary analysis.
At the first workshop, held in mid-December, AECOM reviewed the studies that
had previously been done and presented a vision for the Orleans town center. At
the second workshop, held in February, AECOM followed up on the initial
presentation and presented several possible scenarios for the future growth in
the town center.
The study envisions a vibrant Orleans town center with more affordable housing,
reversing the pattern of young families leaving town because they can't afford to
live here. The direction is to prioritize year-round residents, to target increased
growth, to create a higher density of residential properties and to encourage
smaller increases in commercial square footage.
AECOM presented several buildout scenarios showing potential residential units
and commercial square footage under the current zoning and under revised
zoning, with and without wastewater limitations. One scenario closely mirrors
the current proposal being put forward by Todd Thayer which emphasizes
residential units over commercial expansion. All the scenarios were designed to
understand how much Orleans might grow while still qualifying for zero percent
loans from the state revolving fund.
There was considerable debate about how we move forward with the results
from the downtown planning study. The scenarios presented here are very much
in line with the overall vision of a vibrant town center with more affordable
housing which was approved by Orleans voters in 1999, 2001, and 2006. Some
scenarios will require zoning changes, which need to be proposed by the
planning board and then approved by the town. The engineering teams will also
consider the various scenarios and the associated wastewater flows as the town
moves forward in its continuing effort to address our wastewater challenges.
3. Tri-Town Septage Plant Transition Status Update
As previously reported, the three towns have voted not to fund interim
improvements to Tri-Town and, as a result, the inter-municipal agreement and
operating permit will expire on December 31, 2016. Because of uncertainties
with staffing and the reliability of the equipment, the towns and the Tri-Town
board of managers have voted to cease receipt of septage on June 1, 2016.
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OWQAP Meeting 17 February 2016
Note that this is somewhat earlier than the previous target of the end of
October.
Decommissioning Tri-Town will take about three months and the existing staff
has accepted a 3-month salary retention offer to continue to operate the plant
through the shut down and decommissioning. The design of demolition will be
procured and contracted after the May 2016 town meeting.
4. Collection, Treatment and Disposal Systems Update
Work continues with site evaluation and selection for the collection, treatment
and disposal systems for the Meetinghouse Pond watershed area and for a
potential new plant at Overland Way, the site of the existing Tri-Town facility.
During the past several months, the emphasis has been on evaluating possible
locations for treated effluent disposal by groundwater infiltration from both
facilities.
The site at 223 Beach Road appears promising as a proposed location for
disposal of treated effluent by groundwater infiltration from the Meetinghouse
Pond watershed area. AECOM's team has completed most of the site evaluation
with monitoring wells, test pits, baseline analysis and models and estimates for
groundwater flow. Estimates indicate this site could receive up to 200,000
gallons per day, well in excess of what's needed to support the Meetinghouse
Pond watershed area wastewater project.
Because the state has still not given Orleans approval to evaluate the cloverleaf
at exit 12, AECOM is evaluating two parcels at the edge of the current Tri-Town
facility on Overland Road. Current estimates are that this site could absorb up to
150,000 gallons per day, flowing towards Little Namskaket salt marsh. While
there has been considerable discussion about the potential environmental
impact of any effluent on Namskaket marsh, there's been relatively little about
Little Namskaket marsh. Any additional analysis of this site should also assess
any environmental impact on Little Namskaket.
Jeff Eagles also pointed out that the septage market is very price sensitive and
that the marketplace is changing as the new sewage treatment facility comes
online for Chatham and Harwich, as the Yarmouth-Dennis plant expands and as
off-Cape haulers compete in the current marketplace. Jeff will forward his
analysis to AECOM and they will incorporate it into their analysis of the overall
septage market.
In analyzing the septage market, AECOM needs to provide an assessment of (1)
the future septage volume available to Orleans given the changes in the market,
(2) the future sustainable septage tipping fees considering the competition from
the Yarmouth-Dennis septage treatment plant, off-Cape haulers and potential
for local haulers establishing transfer facilitates to ship septage off Cape, (3) the
right-sized capacity for Orleans to operate a sustainable septage business over
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OWQAP Meeting 17 February 2016
the next 20+ years, and (4) the projected sustainable net revenue from a
septage facility investment.
5. Public-Private Partnership Options
Orleans Real Estate Developer, Todd Thayer has recently presented plans for
Marketplace Development to be located on 15 acres bound by Main Street, Old
Colony Way and Route 6A. Mr. Thayer is investigating options for building a
private wastewater treatment facility for the site to treat about 120,000 gallons
of wastewater per day. The discussion of the Marketplace Development has
stimulated a discussion of options for designing, building, financing and
operating wastewater treatment facilities for the downtown district.
So-called Design-Build-Operate (DBO) arrangements assign responsibility for
the facility design, construction and operation to a single contractor who is also
responsible for the performance and regulatory compliance of plant operations.
This alternative offers potential schedule time savings and operating cost
savings. This business structure requires enactment of special legislation by the
State Legislature allowing the project to proceed; other Massachusetts
communities have built wastewater treatment facilities using this business
structure.
Also discussed were public-private partnerships as a means of financing and
operating wastewater treatment facilities. As the term implies, the up-front
capital investment would be contributed by Orleans and a private investor with
Orleans retaining ownership and the private investor sharing in the treatment
capacity based on the capital contributed.
An important consideration in evaluating both the DBO and public-private
partnership structure is their eligibility for grants, debt forgiveness and state
revolving fund 2% and 0% loans.
These project structures are the subject of ongoing discussion by the Board of
Selectmen and with the town's engineering consultants.
6. Financial Plan Update
AECOM is continuing development of a financial model designed to include all
water quality improvement project cost elements and evaluate options for fair,
value-based cost allocation and recovery. The model will include the capability
to evaluate public-private partnership business structures and DBO. AECOM is
in the process of defining and refining cost and revenue components, user
categories and financing options.
Included in the AECOM handouts on the financial plan was a slide showing water
quality improvement project costs, later referred to as the "cost sheet",
identifying projected costs for each individual element of the overall program
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OWQAP Meeting 17 February 2016
including downtown wastewater and Meetinghouse Pond watershed wastewater
facilities, non-traditional technology (e.g. shellfish aquaculture) demonstration
and full scale projects. All of the costs are estimates.
The cost sheet shown on page 6 provides the projected capital cost of $87.7
million, the amount planned to be invested, of all the water quality
improvements. The capital cost is shown in the first column of numbers on the
left side of the "cost sheet". In addition, the "cost sheet" presents an estimate
of the total cost of the water quality projects over a 20 year time horizon, $233
million, in the last column on the right hand side of the "cost sheet". The 20
year total cost is the sum of all the capital, operating, regulatory and
maintenance costs over the next 20 years.
The underlying purpose of the financial model, in addition to understanding all of
the project costs, is to develop a plan for allocating and recovering those costs
that considers both fairness and affordability.
7. Pleasant Bay Water Quality Analysis - 2015 Cadmus Report
Carole Ridley (Pleasant Bay Alliance) summarized a presentation by the Cadmus
Group in a public meeting on February 9, 2016.
Cadmus concluded that the 2000 to 2014 data shows no overall trend in the
water sample analyses result across all of Pleasant Bay. The opening of a
second Pleasant Bay inlet opposite Minister's Point in 2007 provided improved
flushing throughout most of the Pleasant Bay system which resulted in lower
nitrogen concentrations in many areas. Although as the new inlet developed,
some of the flushing benefits diminished somewhat.
Discussion followed concerning the need (1) to understand sediment nitrogen
load trends, trends in related water analysis parameters such as water
temperature and dissolved oxygen, (2) to provide an evaluation breakout of the
Orleans portion of Pleasant Bay to inform and guide the Town of Orleans in its
water quality improvement efforts, and (3) to look at differences between
changes in open water areas versus restricted embayments such as drowned
kettle ponds (e.g. Meetinghouse' Pond).
Observation of water parameters is important in detecting changes in natural
water systems and will become more important to monitor effectiveness as
water quality improvement projects get underway.
8. Monitoring and Modeling Plan Update
A workshop to discuss environmental monitoring and modeling plans on
February 9th was cancelled due to a snow storm. The workshop will be
rescheduled.
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OWQAP Meeting 17 February 2016
Environmental monitoring, collection and analysis of water, sediment and other
samples from our natural water systems, is necessary to monitor the health of
the systems and water quality in addition to providing data needed for modeling
the impact of nitrogen reduction projects.
The workshop will review current environmental monitoring programs to identify
information gaps and to revise the monitoring as needed to provide 'data for
rerunning the Massachusetts Estuaries Project (MEP) models and for monitoring
the effectiveness of non-traditional demonstration projects such as shellfish
reefs and permeable reactive barriers.
Reruns of the MEP models with current data are needed to make up-to-date
evaluations of nitrogen levels due to changes in the systems since 2000 such as
the development of a second inlet to Pleasant Bay and the restrictions to flow
caused by changes in Nauset Inlet.
9. Non-Traditional Demonstration Project Task Progress
Demonstration project sites for aquaculture/shellfish propagation, permeable
reactive barriers and floating constructed wetlands have been narrowed down to
a few specific locations for each.
The highest ranked shellfish sites are Quonset Pond and Little Pleasant Bay
(near existing shellfish grants). A meeting is planned for March 9th to discuss
project sites.
Floating constructed wetland and permeable reactive barrier (PRB) sites were
discussed with Lonnies Pond and Quonset Pond the top ranked for a floating
constructed wetland demonstration project and sites at locations suitable for
intercepting nitrogen from the abandoned septage beds near the transfer station
and, in addition, a site on Gibson Road being top ranked for a PRB
demonstration project.
10. Meetings Scheduled
OWQAP Aquaculture Subcommittee Workshop at Town Hall on March 9th at
11:00 a.m.
OWQAP Meeting at Town Hall on March 16th from 9:00 a.m. to noon.
11. Other Items and Public Comment
No other issues were raised and there were no further comments from the
attendees.
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OWQAP Meeting 17 February 2016
Note: AECOM is continuing to update the financial plan. The following chart was presented at
the Orleans Water Quality Advisory Panel meeting on February 17111. For ongoing analysis,
please contact AECOM for the most current information on the plan.
Financial Plan Update (cont.) .
Prelimin Annual Costs
M O&M MEM Monitory', Total Present Value
Downtown Area ;
Collection System 523,380,000 5430,000 5158,000 512,080 5600,000 532,306,000 1
s
WWTF and Effluent Disposal 515,889,000 51,185,000 5533,000 $87,000 $1,005,000 . $42,743,0001
,
Meelinattouse Pond Area
Collection System 521,094,000 5212,000 $91,000 53.000 5306,000 515,647,000
WWTF and Effluent Disposal 56,809,000 $709,000 5235,000 $143,000 51987,000 522,981,000 i
[ Non-Traditional Technologies
Demonstration Protects
1. Floatiig Constructed Wetlands $3,247,000 611,000 574,000 $384,000 5469,000 610,225,000)
AquaculMe/Shelf h Propagation 5696,000 5364900 $502,000 : 5114,000 $980,000 515,276,0301
Permeable Reactive Bafflers $973,000 7 SO $75,000 5375,000 5450,000 1 57,668,0001
Non Tradttimral Technoloafes
Fun Scale Protects
Foaling Constructed Wetlands 510,823,000 538,000 $246,000 $1,279,000 51,564000 534.076,000
All Sne51lsn Propagatlan 51910900 $1,016,000 $494000 $356,000 51.866,000 $28,771,000
Permeable Reactive Barriers 53,796900 50 5101,000 5563900 $664,000 513,675,000
.. __ _ Totals 87717,000 3,965000 259,000 3.316,00 979000233,36000
f _
Note: These are updated best estimates at this lime.
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