Financial Resources
Meeting our community’s clean water goals necessitates investment. Explore available financial support aimed at helping Cape Cod homeowners faced with the cost of connecting to the municipal sewer, repairing or replacing failed septic systems, and upgrading to alternative septic system technologies.
Sewer Assessment Financing
The Sewer Assessment is a charge, issued through the Town of Barnstable’s Tax Collector, that will be applied to the owners of properties that have one or more residential or commercial sewer units that are eligible to be newly connected to sewer service under the sewer expansion plan. Property owners can choose to pay their Sewer Assessment in full, upon reciept, or may choose to finance the charge.
Financing through the Tax Collectors Office allows property owners to pay the betterment in quarterly installments, essentially as a line item on their property tax bill, over 30-years.
In accordance with current policy, the Sewer Assessment, under the 30-year payback option, would be amortized at an interest rate equivalent to 2% above the Town’s rate of borrowing, unless otherwise determined by the Town Council. If the sewer assessment is added to future tax bills, a lien will be recorded on the property at the Registry of Deeds.
The Town is also exploring the possibility of allowing qualifying homeowners the option to defer their Sewer Assessment if they meet certain income and asset limits. This would carry an interest charge and the Sewer Assessment would be paid at the time of a transfer in ownership or refinancing of the property.
An abatement process is available if a residential or commercial property owner believes they were incorrectly charged for a Sewer Assessment or if the Sewer Assessment charge is believed to be incorrect.
If you have questions about your Sewer Assessment, please contact the Barnstable Treasurer/Collector’s Office at 508-862-4054 or taxcollector@town.barnstable.ma.us.
Sewer Connection / Septic Upgrade Loan Programs & Tax Relief
As the Town becomes aware of new or expanded financing options we will summarize those resources below.
Cape Cod AquiFund | Barnstable County
Barnstable County is pleased to provide low-interest betterment loans to Cape Cod homeowners faced with the cost of repairing or replacing failed septic systems, upgrading to alternative septic system technologies, as well as connecting to municipal sewer systems.
Cape Cod AquiFund currently offers 0%, 2%, 4%, and 5%* interest betterment loans. At this time, ONLY new sewer connections are eligible for 0% and 2% interest loans.
The Cape Cod AquiFund program also provides financing for condominiums that are being mandated to connect to municipal sewer. Condominiums currently qualify for 4% interest loans. The Cape Cod AquiFund strongly prefers that the condominium applies for the loan program as an entire homeowner’s association, and not as individual unit owners, especially when the condominium consists of 5+ units.
Massachusetts Residential Property Tax Credits
The State offers a Tax Credit for eligible repairs or replacements of failed cesspools or septic systems (Title V). This credit is offered to those Massachusetts property owners that are not a dependent of another taxpayer and occupy the residential property as your principal residence.
Eligible property owners are allowed a credit for expenses you paid to: repair or replace a failed cesspool or septic system to comply with sewer system requirements or connect to a municipal sewer system to follow a federal court order, administrative consent order, state court order, consent decree, or similar mandate.
Nonresidents do not qualify for this credit since the property must be an owner-occupied principal residence in Massachusetts.
Part-year residents qualify for the full credit if the property is an owner-occupied principal residence in Massachusetts.
Sewer or Water Connection Loan | Cape Cod Five
Cape Cod 5 supports efforts to improve infrastructure and protect our environment, and as a result has developed its Sewer or Water Connection Loan Program, which offers qualifying homeowners loan support at competitive rates.
To qualify, the property must be a Primary or Secondary residence. Ineligible properties include condos, cooperatives, commercial mixed use, investment / rental properties, titles held in LLCs or Irrevocable Trusts, or Life Estates.
Approved loan usages include: paying for the homeowner portion of cost of municipal sewer (or water) main roadway construction; engineering costs associated with determining the private sewer (or water) connection; decommissioning of an old septic tank or well; repairs to landscaping or attached structures that require removal in order to run new pipe; plumbing in the home that may require updating.
Sewer, Septic, or Water Loan | The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod
For homeowners that need to repair, replace, or connect their property to a municipal sewer or water system, The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod offers various personal loan options. The Coop’s Sewer, Septic, & Water Loan is designed to help homeowners cover essential costs to ensure your home meets town or state requirements easily and affordably.
The Coop’s Sewer, Septic, & Water Loan offers financing from $5,000 to a maximum amount of $25,000, with flexible terms of 1-7 years† and no collateral required. Interested property owners may apply for any of The Coop’s available personal loans in person at a local branch or via mail with one simple application.
Need Additional Assistance?
The Department of Public Works is here to educate, guide, and equip property owners throughout construction and the sewer connection process.
Common Sewer Connection Questions
Is my property located on a sewer expansion route?
If you are unsure if your property is located along a planned sewer expansion route, use the Public CWMP Map to locate your property and determine if it is identified within a proposed sewer expansion project.
Click here to access the Public CWMP Map: https://gis.townofbarnstable.us/Html5Viewer/Index.html?viewer=publiccwmp2
Click here to access the Phase 1 Projects Page:
https://barnstablewaterresources.com/sewer-expansion/
Will I be contacted by the Town prior to sewer construction?
Yes, prior to construction beginning in the roadway, the Department of Public Works will perform a series of outreach efforts such as public information meetings, mailers and in-person door-to-door canvasing. Once your property has been identified as part of an active construction project, you will be asked you to fill out a Sewer Connection Form. The purpose of this form is to provide DPW with relevant information about how your current plumbing works. You will be asked to provide a sketch plan identifying your building’s layout in relation to the street as well as the preferred location of a sewer service stub connection on your property. Detailed instructions will be provided.
Learn more about the Sewer Connection Form and related construction sequencing, here: https://barnstablewaterresources.com/sewer-service-connection-center/
What costs am I responsible for when connecting to municipal sewer?
A property owner is responsible for essentially three primary costs.
- The first being a one-time Sewer Assessment, which is a charge that will be applied to the owners of properties that have one or more residential or commercial sewer units that are eligible to be newly connected to sewer service under the sewer expansion plan.
- Additionally, a property owner is responsible for the cost to connect their property to the municipal sewer system located in the street and to decommission the current on-site septic system, if needed. Connection costs will vary based on property characteristics.
- Lastly, once sewer service is connected, property owners will be charged a sewer service user fee based on their water usage. The current typical residential sewer usage bill averages around $435 annually and may vary based on water usage. If the property has irrigation, a property owner can install a deduct meter which will enable the property owner to realize a savings for water that does not enter the sanitary sewage system.
Review the Town Council Approved Sewer Assessment Ordinance, here: https://barnstablewaterresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2021-07-01-Town-Council-Approved-Sewer-Assessment-Ordinance-letter-2021-139.pdf
How do I find a qualified contractor to connect my property to sewer service?
You can find a qualified contractor from the Town of Barnstable’s list of licensed sewer installers, which is updated regularly and posted to the the Town’s website. Your licensed sewer installer will do the actual construction at your home on your property and will be responsible for applying for the necessary permits.
In most cases, a qualified sewer installer is sufficient for both design and implementation; however, in a limited number of cases it is necessary to also secure the services of a licensed engineer with civil engineering experience to direct your sewer connection. The connection must comply with the Town of Barnstable’s sewer connection design specifications. Your contractor will assist you in determining the most cost-effective way to arrange pipes on your property.
We update this database regularly! Download the current list of licensed sewer installers, here: https://barnstablewaterresources.com/licensed-sewer-installers/
Do I have a choice whether or not to connect to new sewer service?
The Board of Health has the authority to require property owners to connect to the public system when it becomes live. The Board of Health also has the authority to allow property owners to delay connecting depending upon their unique circumstances. If you have a question or circumstance that you believe may necessitate a delay in connecting to sewer service, please call the Town of Barnstable Health Division at 508-862-4644 or email health@town.barnstable.ma.us.
Is there any payment assistance or abatement of either the Sewer Assessment or connection costs?
A property owner can opt to pay the Sewer Assessment all at once when due, or may opt to finance the Sewer Assessment and pay quarterly installments on their property tax bill over thirty years. In accordance with current policy, the Sewer Assessment under the thirty-year payback option would be amortized at an interest rate equivalent to 2% above the rate of borrowing, unless otherwise determined by the Town Council. If the sewer assessment is added to future tax bills, a lien will be recorded on the property at the Registry of Deeds.
The Town is also exploring the possibility of allowing qualifying homeowners the option to defer their sewer assessment if they meet certain income and asset limits. This would carry an interest charge and the sewer assessment would be paid at the time of a transfer in ownership or refinancing of the property.
Additional financial support includes zero and low-interest betterment loans through Barnstable County’s Cape Cod AquiFund and Cape Cod 5’s Sewer or Water Connection Loan Program. We will continue to update and share additional financial resources as they become available.
My septic failed and I am not yet connected to sewer, what do I do?
Like the decomissioning of your system, the Board of Health is the governing authority on all things septic. If you are currently living at a property with a failed septic system or in the process of buying or selling a property with a failed septic, the best first step is to determine where your property falls within the adapative sewer expansion plan. You can obtain this information by locating your property on our Public CWMP Map, here: https://gis.townofbarnstable.us/Html5Viewer/Index.html?viewer=publiccwmp2
Once you confirm if your property is identified to recieve future sewer service, you will then need to contact the Board of Health to determine the most appropriate course of action. If your property is not eligible for sewer connection within an approved timeframe, the Board of Health may require you to make necessary upgrades or request replacement. If you believe your property’s septic may be failing, please call the Town of Barnstable Health Division at 508-862-4644 or email health@town.barnstable.ma.us.
How do the new Watershed Permit Regulations and revised Title 5 septic system regulations impact me?
The Town of Barnstable received the final Watershed Permit Regulations (314 CMR 21.00), and Title 5 Natural Resource Nitrogen Sensitive Area Regulations (“NSA”) (310 CMR 15.214 and 15.215), on Thursday, June 22, 2023.
As of September 1, 2023, the Town of Barnstable submitted its application for a WP95 Watershed Permit. Our application included the request for a Watershed Permit covering the entire Town of Barnstable, regardless of when, or if, a village was receiving sewer as part of our Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan. Our application has advanced to the Draft Permit stage and is currently available for Public Comment via MassDEP, here: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massdep-permits-approvals-for-comment
In accordance with 310 CMR 15.215(2)(a)(b) and 314 CMR 21.03(1), the issuance of this Watershed Permit would exempt the Town from Title 5 requirements to install Best Available Nitrogen Reducing Technology (BANRT) for existing septic systems and new construction within the designated Natural Resource Nitrogen Sensitive Area (NRNSA), provided the Town remains in compliance with the permit.