Truro’s Board of Health  (BoH) made an informal presentation of Truro’s draft Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan (CWMP)  in September and released a 900-page draft report October 31. You can read a summary here.

This plan is required by the State, or in the alternative, the State will impose its own plan.

The CWMP looks to reduce high nitrogen levels embayments and ground water in critical areas of Truro.  As the summary states:

The Town of Truro’s Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan (CWMP) provides a 20-year framework (2027–2047) for managing nitrogen pollution to protect water quality in its three coastal watersheds: Wellfleet Harbor, Pamet River, and East Harbor (Provincetown Harbor). Prepared by GHD for MassDEP compliance under 314 CMR 21 (Watershed Permit Regulations), it builds upon the Massachusetts Estuaries Project (MEP) and Cape Cod Commission (CCC) watershed reports. Excess nitrogen from septic systems, fertilizers, and stormwater runoff has been identified as the principal driver of eutrophication, algal blooms, and loss of marine habitat in these systems, threatening both ecological and economic vitality. 

It also notes the impact of nitrogen loading on groundwater and drinking water, affecting Truro’s ecological and economic health, not to mention the health of Truro residents.

Truro must reduce nitrogen levels by 25% to meet State requirements.  Given that Truro is also planning on expansive growth in residential and commercial use and occupancy, it may be hard to reduce nitrogen through measures cited in this report while adding to nitrogen loading through expanded use.

The plan is in draft form and the Board of Health will be holding a public presentation on November 18 at 4:30 PM hybrid.