BEA Staff
Our dedicated team includes 

Licensed Site Professionals, Third Party Inspectors, Professional Engineers, 

Wetland Consultants, Registered Sanitarians, Professional Geologists, Environmental Scientists, Public Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment Operators.


 

For a complete list of team members and their credentials, click Here.

Title 5 Inspections
If Spring means you are listing your home, or entering into a purchase and sales agreement, you will need a Title 5 Inspection of the septic system.  Call us for a proposal to provide your Title 5 Inspection services, as will be needed for the closing!
Septic System 'Best Management Practices'
Spring is a good time to have your septic system pumped.

Do not cover over septic system parts with hard structures, like decks, porches or stairs, which may then need to be removed for access.

Landscaping/plantings should also be kept away from interfering with septic access and function. Roots have been found infiltrating and clogging important system parts.

Don't flush personal hygiene products or diapers; there is nothing in the design of a septic system that can break down these wastes.

Be mindful of water usage, and choices of cleaning products. Bleach can be harmful to the community of micro-organisms your septic system relies on to treat your wastewater.

Do not use a garbage grinder or disposal with either a Title 5 or I/A septic system.

Avoid driving over or the use of heavy equipment around your septic system, even if components are "H20 rated" for vehicle traffic.

Where will you find BEA?
Listen for testimonials from our satisfied clients on Ocean 104.7.  

Find us on 
Facebook and watch for upcoming contests and giveaways.
Spring 2016 Newsletter
Welcome to BEA's complimentary Newsletter with helpful information for  our community of homeowners, businesses, and concerned agencies or NGOs. 

Together, we are stewards of the Cape & Islands' lovely vistas and natural resources, and with this issue, we look forward to the excitement Spring always brings!
Do You Know What's In the Soil You're Tilling?
March is the traditional time to plant peas and other early Spring crops.  It should also be the time you think about testing your soil.
With many people gardening to enjoy fresh, healthy veggies, BEA urges that the foundation of these efforts be safe soil!  While it is a common gardening practice to test soil for characteristics such as pH and nutrient availability, it is not uncommon to find contaminants in gardening soil.  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) recommend testing to ensure safe handling and consumption of produce.

Landscapers or garden centers selling loam are encouraged to demonstrate a commitment to providing safe soils by testing stockpiles.  If such assurance cannot be provided, home or community gardeners should be prepared to have their loam tested themselves. 

BEA is your "one call that does it all" -- let us know if you are interested in receiving a proposal for soil testing.

And with your soil's clean bill of health, enjoy Spring's bounty and plant those peas, set out your lettuce plugs and seed some radish and spinach!
Water Conservation Measures:

Give Xeriscaping a try! 

While Xeriscaping has long been embraced in the arid/desert parts of the country, the goals of water conservation and and soil improvement are worthwhile, even in less drought-prone areas such as our yards. Visit EarthEasy's Solutions for Sustainable Living webpage for more information.

And this is no longer a practice dominated by cactus plantings and raked stone groundcovers; here on the Cape & Islands there are many varied examples combining stonework and succulents, heaths and heathers, and the types of shrubs accustomed to our thins soils and salty breezes. Think low maintenance Rosa Rugosa and Bayberry.

For great advice, see this UMass Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment link, especially for the information about fertilizer application to avoid the leaching of nitrogen into our sensitive groundwater and coastal waterways.

Here are a few more ways you can practice good stewardship and conserve landscaping water use around your home or business:
  • When you do water, soak deeply in the early morning or evening, when there will less moisture lost to evaporation
  • Check hoses, pipes, valves and faucets for leaks -- repair or replace as needed
  • Recycle water collected from rain in buckets for garden or lawn use
  • Mulch garden areas to slow evaporation
  • Position sprinklers properly to water the intended plantings instead of pavement! Better yet, bury soaker hoses under mulch to limit watering and mimic a gentle infiltration most like natural rainfall
  • Clear your decks, patios, walks and driveway areas with a broom instead of a water hose

Indoor Water Conservation 

  • Don't run the tap while you are brushing your teeth -- fill a glass for rinsing.
  • Install a low-flow aerator and repair any plumbing leaks.
  • Wrap hot water pipes with insulation to avoid waiting for hot water.
  • The average bathtub holds more than 50 gallons of water -- only fill partially to conserve bathing water.
  • Install water-saving shower heads, take shorter showers and turn off water while lathering up or shampooing.
  • Check the toilet for leaks: add food coloring to the tank water to see if it appears in the bowl without flushing. Repair or replace as needed.
  • Run only full dishwasher and laundry loads; remodel with machines that are more water and energy efficient.

We hope you find these and upcoming articles that BEA will share with you to be useful, and we welcome your suggestions -- tell us what you wish to hear more about! Perhaps your idea will be discussed in an upcoming edition.

Joyful Spring from the BEA Staff!

Sincerely,
KMR headshot







Kara Risk,
Business Manager
Bennett Environmental Associates

Quick Links
Environmental Permitting
Do Your Landscaping or Hardscaping Plans Require Review or Permits?
It is better to ask permission than forgiveness ... if your project falls within a "Resource Area" or "Buffer Zone" it may be under the permitting jurisdiction of your local Conservation Commission. Let BEA guide you through the process to assure a reasonable and compliant outcome!

We have experience applying geophysical science and technical skills to local permitting procedures.

Whether you need to present plans before the Conservation Commission, require a septic system designed with Innovative /Alternative technology for the Board of Health, or need an "engineered retreat" from an eroding coastal feature, we have the resources to strike the proper balance.

Contact BEA for a proposal to properly represent your project  on the  permitting  path!

Attract Bees

Bees are a vital link in our food supply! Did you know that over 150 U.S. food crops rely on pollinators?

That is equivalent
to approximately one out of every three bites of your food needing a healthy bee population to sustain your diet.

About 50% of U.S. managed honeybee colonies have been lost over the past 10 years, with a reduction of foraging diversity due to commercial agriculture and loss of habitat among contributing factors.

Gardeners can help with planting herbs such as dill or fennel among your vegetables to ensure bees will visit, with the reward of bountiful crops.

In aesthetic landscaping, you can help support the bee population by selecting plants such as:
  • Alyssum
  • Butterfly Weed
  • Asters
  • Echinacea, or Coneflower
  • Bee Balm
  • Poppies 
  • Black-eyed Susans
And leave some areas wild!   Remember that the native plants /wildflowers and the bees have evolved together ... a perfectly manicured yard and homogeneous species lawn does not offer the same foraging value of nectar and pollen varieties! 
Bennett Environmental Associates, Inc. | | krisk@bennett-ea.com 
 Mail: P.O. Box 17431 Location: 1573 Main Street
Brewster, MA 02631