The Barnstable Municipal Water Supply Board met July 22 to move forward with planned upgrades to the Straightway Water Treatment Facility at 228 Straightway.
The project aims to expand the town’s ability to treat PFAS contamination—toxic "forever chemicals" that are increasingly found in drinking water. Planned upgrades include year-round operational capacity, replacement of aging wells, and stormwater infrastructure improvements.
The Town Council recently approved an additional $11.5 million in funding to complete the project.
Tyler Gilman, senior project manager at Barnstable DPW, shared that a contract related to the project has been finalized. The next step is for the town to review and provide feedback to Kleinfelder, an environmental professional services firm, so they can finalize their report.
The new Straightway Water Treatment Facility will replace the Hyannisport and Sommerville Ponds Wells. Gilman said, “The DPW has sent the conservation restriction request letter via certified mail to all the property owners within the 400-foot buffer of the wells, as required by DEP.”
When asked about the groundbreaking timeline, Gilman said, “It can take 1 to 3 months.”
Sam Wilson, Chair of the Municipal Water Supply Board, also addressed the group, recapping the outcome of the July 17th Town Council meeting.
Originally included in the town’s FY25 budget request, the project’s cost increased significantly after reviewing the final design and contractor input. The Council approved the additional $11.5 million to cover the higher costs, bringing the total funding package together. Approximately $750,000 of that will come from the 3M PFAS settlement.
Wilson said, “Fortunately, the Town Council approved the initial borrowing and funding on its second reading, so the financing is in place. In short, we have the money we need to move forward and begin the project.”
Currently, the facility uses activated carbon tanks to remove PFAS, but the setup is inefficient and costly because it also treats iron and manganese—contaminants better addressed through infiltration methods. The new system will incorporate UV infiltration and indoor treatment tanks to more efficiently handle a broader range of contaminants and allow for year-round operation.
