Regulations for septic systems are all about protecting the groundwater and the harbors on island. When we failed to vote the funding to bring Town sewer to Madaket, it triggered a slew of very expensive alternatives for private homeowners. Local Regulation 51, Town of Nantucket Board of Health Regulations Affecting Madaket, initially adopted in 1973, was amended in 2017. As of July 1st, 2019 all septic systems in Madaket will have to be either a tight tank system or an I/A (Innovative/Alternative) system in order to meet the requirements of the Department of Environmental Protection and the Nantucket Board of Health. If your house is on the Smith’s Point side of Millie’s bridge, it will require a tight tank system (that gets pumped on a regular basis). Everyone else in Madaket will have to have an I/A system which is a very costly and time-consuming proposition.
No matter where on island one lives, if your property is on a septic system, the number one thing that you can do to prolong its life is to have the system pumped on a regular basis. The only thing going down our toilets should be what comes out of the body and toilet paper. That is it!
There has been a recent indication from the Board of Health that the July 1, 2019 deadline may be extended, possibly until this fall. If you live in Madaket, now is the time to contact the Nantucket Health Department to find out what exactly you have to do to bring your septic system into compliance. With the workload on Nantucket, engineers and installers can be backed up for months. The Health Department can be reached at 508-228-7200 ext 7014 or 7020. Their hours are 7:30 AM until 4:00 PM during the week.
Local Regulation 51, Town of Nantucket Board of Health Regulations Affecting Madaket