3. Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF)

The Town’s water treatment facility is located next to the Town Transfer Station at the intersection of Ashers Path East and Carleton Drive. It will consist of two buildings, covered underground treatment tanks, and surface level sand beds for the return of the treated water to the groundwater. (Existing private treatment facilities in Mashpee are shown on the map to the left as red stars; the location of the planned facility is shown as a blue star and in more detail above.)

• Process: Wastewater will be pumped from the collection system to a preliminary treatment building where grit and large solids will be removed. It will then flow into two below-grade, covered tanks where nitrogen and other contaminants will be removed through a biological process. The treated water will be disinfected using ultraviolet light before being returned to the groundwater through the sand beds.
• Odor control: Air from the treatment process will be deodorized through a two-step process that includes both a biological and a physical component. The covered tanks will be kept at negative pressure to prevent any untreated air from escaping and releasing odors. Air from the preliminary treatment building and the covered tanks will be conveyed through an underground duct to an odor control unit for treatment.
• Noise control: All major equipment will be located inside the buildings to reduce noise. The entire facility will be located no less than 150 feet from the property line, three times what is required by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
• Sand beds: The sand beds where water treated to state standards is returned to the groundwater are at grade. An area where additional sand beds could be located during any future phase (if needed) will be fenced in to allow undergrowth and landscaping to be fully established before any beds are added.