Orleans wastewater advisors review plant data, cancel two summer meetings

Finance Committee · Meeting of June 11, 2026

Orleans wastewater advisors assess nitrogen removal progress and weigh operator incentives for Veolia. The Wastewater Management Advisory Committee heard June 11 that 19 of 374 Phase 2 properties are now connected and flowing to the treatment plant, with roughly 45 additional properties ready pending only paperwork. Consultant Mike Giggy of Wright-Pierce reported that combined Phase 1 through Phase 3 removals are projected to reach approximately 7,000 kilograms of nitrogen per year against a total town removal requirement of about 14,000 kilograms — "solid, solid progress," he said, amounting to roughly half the overall goal.

First-quarter 2026 effluent data showed average total nitrogen of about 5 milligrams per liter, well below the 10-milligrams-per-liter permit limit, but suspended solids spiked to 34 milligrams per liter in February — a technical permit exceedance — and the committee discussed pushing operator Veolia to hold solids below 5 milligrams per liter to protect the longevity of the WICS disposal system. The committee also flagged that consumptive water use in the Phase 1 service area reached 23 percent in 2025 — more than double the 10 percent figure used in nitrogen-credit accounting — compared with 40 percent reported in Harwich. A nitrogen removal status letter dated June 7 was signed by the Town Manager and ready to go out to DEP the day of the meeting.

The Phase 3 construction contract with RBO must be executed no later than June 30 under State Revolving Fund rules, with earthwork expected to begin in early to mid-fall.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,731 words

Source: the Finance Committee meeting of June 11, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.