Capturing material that can be diverted from disposal requires the active participation of those who generate waste – the residents and businesses of Metro Boston.   Making it convenient for them to separate and recycle or compost waste is essential to increasing diversion.  This means designing convenient waste management into new and retrofitted buildings, developments, and municipal infrastructure.

Septic management programs involve monitoring, testing, and required maintenance of private septic systems in order to improve performance and extend life span.  These programs help to protect water quality and prevent widespread system failure, deferring or eliminating the need to extend sewer to neighborhoods with failing septic systems.  

Stormwater bylaws and ordinances grant a municipality the authority to establish standards for discharge of stormwater runoff.  These controls can be structured to promote Low Impact Development, minimizing site alteration and stormwater pollution.  Numerous municipalities in the region have already adopted stormwater regulation; there are numerous models available and lessons learned regarding adoption and implementation.  It is necessary to catalog the bylaws that have been adopted and to develop a next generation of model bylaws.  

A water bank is a system of accounting and paying for measures that offset or mitigate water losses due to water withdrawals, sewering, and/or increased impervious areas that prevent aquifer recharge.  The purpose of a water bank is to provide a water supplier with the resources necessary to mitigate the demands of new development through conservation, leak detection, education, or infrastructure improvements.  For example, a water banking program might require that new connections or increased demands be mitigated through payment into a fund, proportional to the amount of water r

The US Geological Survey has completed hydrologic studies of a limited number of watersheds in Eastern Massachusetts, including the Ipswich, Upper Charles, and portions of the SuAsCo.  These hydrologic studies provide a platform for analysis of alternative growth and water supply alternatives.  Additional funding and support is needed to create more watershed models and to integrate the findings into comprehensive water resource planning at the local/subregional level and into the withdrawal permitting process.  

Water utilities should conduct a comprehensive audit every 5 to 10 years depending on the findings of the Annual Statistical Report audit. A comprehensive audit is strongly recommended for communities/systems showing significant and unexplainable increases in  unaccounted-for water (UAW) from one year to the next, and for communities/systems that are consistently unable to meet regulatory standards for UAW.

Until a municipality or water district establishes by-laws or other regulations authorizing officials to restrict water usage, the options available in a time of water shortage are only extremes: on one end of the spectrum, officials can request voluntary reduction of water use, and on the other, they can petition for the declaration of a state of emergency by Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.  

In order to minimize the need for long term maintenance investments, improve user satisfaction, and maximize system performance, the Commonwealth should create a comprehensive asset management system for its current transportation inventory.  This plan would be a data driven monitoring system that would evaluate current conditions and performance and identify capital investment needed to maintain a satisfactory performance level.  Management systems have already been partially implemented for some of the Commonwealth’s building (CAMIS by DCAM and FAMIS by DCR) and bridge (PO

Bus, pedestrian, and bicycle service need dedicated corridors and networks if they are to compete with the single occupancy vehicle as an efficient transportation option.  “Road space reallocation” involves dedicating road space to transportation alternatives such as transit or bicycle, and managing roadways to encourage more efficient and equitable transportation.

Greater local planning capacity is necessary to support the creation of sustainable land use plans, the development of efficient transportation projects, and comprehensive review and mitigation of development proposals and their transportation impacts.  The land use decisions that drive transportation are, for the most part, made locally, and municipalities are the proponents of many transportation projects, especially roadway projects.  Municipal officials and staff must have a better understanding of issues such as cumulative impacts, secondary land use impacts, and transportation