New Silver Beach Wastewater System

The goal of the New Silver Beach Wastewater Project completed in 2009 was to address a public health emergency by sewering a portion of the New Silver Beach neighborhood. This area had been subject to regular septic system overflows due to low elevation and location within a coastal flood zone. Sewering the area eliminated this health risk for neighborhood residents and visitors. In addition, sewering the area reduced environmental impacts on the downgradient coastal waters.

In 1997, the Town voters passed the New Silver Beach Sewer Bylaw, which established the New Silver Beach Sewer Service Area and regulations for development within that Service Area.

Area Included

The New Silver Beach Sewer Service Area includes approximately 231 properties in the New Silver Beach area of North Falmouth. In addition, the New Silver Beach Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) treats wastewater from the North Falmouth Elementary School.

Water Treatment Process

The New Silver Beach wastewater collection system conveys wastewater, primarily by gravity, to a lift station on Silver Beach Avenue. The wastewater is pumped from the lift station to the NSB WWTF via a force main. The wastewater is treated using Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) technology to substantially reduce concentrations of nitrogen, solids and other pollutants. The treated wastewater is then conveyed to a system of infiltration trenches. A school youth soccer field was constructed above the infiltration trench area.

Capacity

The system is designed for a total wastewater flow rate of 60,000 gallons per day, though average flow is significantly less than that. The Town does not accept septage (sludge pumped from septic tanks) at the NSB WWTF location; septage is accepted at the Town's Main WWTF on Blacksmith Shop Road. Only wastewater from the NSB Sewer Service Area and from the North Falmouth Elementary School is treated at the NSB WWTF. Please refer to the Town of Falmouth Code regarding capacity limitations on property expansion within the sewer service area.