NEW - NOVEMBER 2025

Falmouth Board of Health – New Septic System Regulation

The Falmouth Board of Health has adopted a new septic system regulation, FHR 15.15, as part of the local supplement to Title 5 (FHR-15.0 SUPPLEMENTS TO 310 CMR 15.000: THE STATE ENVIRONMENTAL CODE TITLE 5).

This regulation will take effect on November 15, 2025.

The new rule requires the use of Best Available Nitrogen Reducing Technology (I/A or denitrifying systems) for septic systems located in Nitrogen Sensitive Areas (NSAs) when a property increases wastewater flow — known as New Construction under Title 5.

Examples of New Construction include:

• Building a new home

• Raze-and-rebuild projects

• Adding bedrooms to an existing home

• Expanding commercial properties that increase wastewater flow

The goal of this regulation is to reduce nitrogen pollution from on-site septic systems in environmentally sensitive areas and help meet state water quality requirements.

Nitrogen Sensitive Areas include:

• Areas identified by MassDEP as Nitrogen Sensitive

• Districts of Critical Planning Concern (DCPCs) designated by Barnstable County

• Watersheds identified by the Commonwealth as nitrogen-impaired under the Clean Water Act

Systems must achieve a Total Nitrogen level of 10 mg/L or less.

Properties located within a future sewer service area will not need to install a nitrogen-reducing system if sewer design funding has been approved by Town Meeting. Homes or buildings that install a nitrogen-reducing system will not be required to connect to the sewer for 15 years after sewer completion, or 20 years after installation, whichever comes first.

SEPTIC SYSTEMS

A septic system is an individual wastewater treatment system that allows the surrounding soil to treat wastewater flows from a residential or commercial property. Septic systems may vary in many ways, but the basic components to a modern system are the septic tank, a distribution box, and the soil absorption system.

Your septic system conducts the primary treatment for your household wastewater by temporarily holding it in the septic tank where heavy solids and lighter scum are allowed to separate from the wastewater.  The solids stored in the tank are partially decomposed by bacteria and later removed, along with the lighter scum, by a professional septic tank pumper.  After the wastewater leaves the septic tank it moves on to the distribution box, which evenly distributes the flow to all areas of the soil absorption system.  The effluent is slowly dispersed to the surrounding soils, where it undergoes secondary treatment by biological activity at the soil interface; a film develops here which is known as the biological mat, or biomat.  The clarified wastewater eventually makes its way through the soils to the groundwater.

Falmouth PermitEyes system allows all applications to be submitted and viewed online. 

To apply for a Septic Disposal Works Construction Permit, Installer's License, Pumper & Hauler's License, Witness of Soil Percolation Test, & Submission of a Title 5 Report, use links below. 

New Users Click Here to create a UserID for Falmouth Permit Eyes

Returning Users Click Here to submit applications and view application status