Cape Cod Wastewater SmartMap and Cost Model
SECTION 199.
Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, subject to appropriation, the Cape Cod Commission, or its designee, shall link existing land use data with newly developed scientific and financial planning data to create a comprehensive, linked model for the purpose of identifying environmentally appropriate and affordable wastewater infrastructure solutions. The model shall identify the appropriate economy of scale for wastewater infrastructure solutions and shall provide estimates of the costs associated with implementing various solutions. The model may be used by communities in the commonwealth to pursue regional wastewater options that satisfy environmental regulatory requirements in the most efficient and cost effective manner and have the potential to preempt future water quality litigation.
The comprehensive model shall be accessible to the public through a web mapping application. The components of the model and the web mapping application shall include, but not be limited to: (i) Cape-wide build-out scenarios and water usage data; (ii) recommendations regarding the appropriate use and costs of a range of technologies in specific circumstances for achieving water quality goals, including natural systems restoration, alternative on-site technologies and more traditional technologies such as satellite, cluster and centralized treatment technologies; (iii) scientific data that supports the calculation of nitrogen loads and estimates the impact of various land use patterns, technologies and other factors on water quality; and (iv) planning level cost estimates of wastewater infrastructure costs to Cape Cod taxpayers and potential rate payers to meet water quality goals. The model shall allow the user to vary land use development patterns, wastewater infrastructure technologies and tax and rate structures to understand the environmental and financial implications of various decisions related to wastewater planning. The comprehensive model shall be completed not later than June 30, 2013.