Although the article to bring municipal sewer to Madaket passed resoundingly at the Fall Special Town Meeting, it failed to garner a majority of votes for funding at the ballot box in early November. Voters turned down (779 against-427 in favor) $84 million for the Madaket sewer project which would have helped protect the harbor and scallop fisheries from further degradation of the water quality. Perhaps people on island have enough with large capital expenditures: the police station, now the fire station, probably a new Our Island Home and the sewer infrastructure for the Shimmo and inner harbor area.
What does this mean for Madaket?
We spoke with the Nantucket Health Department, who are proponents of bringing Town sewer to Madaket as quickly as possible. If an owner has a septic system in Madaket that has failed the Title V inspection they are now required to fix the system which could mean an upgrade or an entirely new system depending upon the type of failure (hydraulic and technical). Other factors determining what is required would be lot size, depth of the ground water location, septic capacity and whether or not there is access to Town water. In some cases owners will be required to install and I/A (Innovative/Alternative) system which is very costly and is designed to minimize impact on the groundwater and harbor.
The Town had an opportunity to secure zero percent financing from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts which was done for the first half of the funding. The Town is currently working on securing the second part of the loan from the state Department of Environmental Protection. Should this come through funds may be available to individual homeowners for septic upgrades or replacements at a very low interest rate of 2%.
For additional information please contact the Nantucket Health Department at 508.228.7200 x7322.