Barnstable Council Approves $300K for Pump Station, Hyannis Sewer Emergencies

BARNSTABLE -- March 17, 2022, Barnstable Town Council unanimously approves $300,000 emergency repair order for pump station and renewable energy failures. The 13-member council, meeting remotely on March 17, voted 13-0 to appropriate funds from the $9.87 million water pollution control enterprise reserve to cover emergency repairs to the Old Colony Road pump station, the town's largest, processing up to 800,000 gallons per day, after a mechanical failure in October 2021, and to the facility's wind-and-solar renewable energy system, which generates more than $1,000 per day in electricity credits and suffered a transformer failure in September 2021. The council also approved $295,000 for emergency dune repair at Blish Point after winter storm Keenan exposed protective core bags that, if failed, could release dredge material into Barnstable Harbor. Avangrid Renewables presented plans for Park City Wind (800 megawatts, Craigville Beach landing) and Commonwealth Wind (1,200 megawatts, proposed Dowses Beach landing), with Vice President of Development Ken Kimmel noting a host community agreement covering Park City Wind is "pretty close to the goal line." Town Manager Mark Ells confirmed Barnstable has joined a national opioid settlement expected to bring Massachusetts $500 million over 18 months, with municipalities receiving 40 percent after advocates negotiated up from a proposed 15 percent.