Why Sewers… and Why Now?

by R. Michael Sullivan

Voters will consider approving a project to extend a sewer and water trunkline along Rt. 6 from Fall River to Dartmouth. For decades voters have been unconvinced of the need to bring water and sewer services to the north end of Town, and we have done little more than bring water service to 160 homes and businesses along the western portion of Rt. 6. What has changed to cause us to reconsider this project? In short, a growing number of well failures, expensive septic repairs, and now, potential new regulations and federal lawsuits.

Westport has no sewers. All of our wastewater is handled by septic systems which, to a varying degree, process the waste on site, just above the water table. These systems are not designed to remove nitrogen and when they are located close to drinking water wells, as they are in the densely populated areas in North Westport, the septic systems can contaminate the drinking water. In fact, this is why we have a growing number of unhealthy wells in North Westport.  

Many of our properties have very old systems (cesspools) which do not meet even the soon to be outdated Title 5 regulations. Replacing these systems will cost homeowners $25-$50k…and that assumes they have enough room on their lots. 

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WRWA Annual Meeting March 3

WRWA held its Annual Meeting on March 3, 2024, where President Michael Sullivan and WRWA Executive Director Deborah Weaver presented an overview of the 2023 finances and programs.

Our featured speaker, Patrick Ewanchuk, PhD, is Chair of the Biology Department and Associate Professor of Biology at Providence College, Dr. Ewanchuk, who holds a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Brown University, serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor there. His presentation delved into his extensive research on the condition of salt marshes in the Westport River.

Having dedicated several years to studying the phenomenon, Dr. Ewanchuk has applied scientific methods to uncover the causes behind the disappearance of some of Westport’s salt marshes. His enlightening talk, "What’s new on the salt marsh? Working to determine the mechanism of salt marsh loss," has been recorded and can be viewed on the WRWA YouTube channel.

Following Dr. Ewanchuk's presentation, WRWA members held a short meeting to express appreciation for retiring Board member Katharine Rosenfeld, and welcoming incoming board members Carol Ann Hayes, Tom Merchant and Bill Sherden.

Volunteers of the Year recognition went to Mark Luttmann and Cindy Wilson for their valuable donation of their time over the past year.

WRWA's latest Annual Report is available for reading online.

You can view Patrick Ewanchuk's excellent presentation here.

Help Team COW With Spring Clean-Up

Join our friends at Clean Our Westport (COW) for a spring town-wide street clean-up all around town on Saturday, April 6 from 9-noon. Volunteers from all parts of town are needed!

To sign up, email [email protected].

Check-in will be at 9 a.m. at the OLD High School parking lot, 17 Main Road.

Our wonderful educator Michaelah, nature name "Plover," is here with Westport first graders during a special lesson on frogs. Spring is here!

Spring Electronics Recycling will be on Saturday, April 27

WRWA will host the very popular Electronics Recycling collection day again on Saturday, April 27, from 9 to 12 noon at the Town Hall parking lot at 816 Main Road in Westport. WRWA partners with Indie Cycle twice a year to provide this service to the community. Indie Cycle accepts most electronic materials at no charge, with the exceptions listed below.

ITEMS ACCEPTED AT NO CHARGE: Computers, laptops, PDA's, cell phones, mice, keyboards, toner cartridges, CD/DVD players, radios, network equipment, wires, stereos, speakers, telephones, microwaves, small household appliances, and auto and marine batteries. Anything with a wire!

A $10 DISPOSAL FEE APPLIES: for all TVs & monitors, some printers, mini-fridges, air conditioners, dehumidifiers and other coolant containing appliances.

NOT ACCEPTED: light bulbs, furniture or any hazardous materials such as paint, rechargeable and single use batteries, and broken TV tubes.

WRWA has helped collect over 60,000 pounds of old electronics at their collection days since 2015. 

Indie Cycle, LLC, has a zero landfill policy. They do not remarket any hard drives or data storage devices. All electronic materials are transferred to ORS a local, R2 certified recycler for processing.  

See their website at www.indiecycle.com for more information.

This event is open to residents of all neighboring towns, not just for those who live in Westport. For more information on this recycling event, or to volunteer to help out that morning, contact WRWA at [email protected] or call 508-636-3016.

Merit Scholarship Award for Graduating Seniors

WRWA Launches New Online Application Process

The Westport River Watershed Alliance (WRWA) is pleased to offer two Merit Scholarships for graduating seniors living in the Westport River watershed communities of Fall River, Dartmouth, Freetown, Westport, Little Compton, and Tiverton. The first place award is $2000 and the second place award is $1000.

The award was made possible by the generosity of the late Margot C. Boote, and by Bill Heath in memory of his parents Ruth and Bill Heath. This year, there is a new online application process available on the WRWA website at www.westportwatershed.org/scholarships. The application deadline is Monday, April 15.

The Merit Scholarship awards offer WRWA an opportunity to honor students who are planning to pursue a college degree in a field that benefits the environment such as natural sciences, environmental engineering, education, law, etc. or who have demonstrated an interest in the Westport River, the watershed or environmental protection.

WRWA's Mishoon Film by Alex Haggert accepted into the New Bedford Film Festival

In the 17th century, the mishoon, a traditional Native American canoe, was a dominant watercraft in North America. These canoes, meticulously crafted from massive trees, could transport up to 40 individuals. Fast forward to late May 2023, a unique event took place at the Westport Town Farm, a property managed by the Trustees. The event was a collaborative effort between The Westport River Watershed Alliance (WRWA), the Westport Land Conservation Trust, and Wampanoag Experience.

It involved the ceremonial burning of a traditional mishoon. Annawon Weeden, a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe, and Andre StrongBearHeart Gaines, Jr., from the Nipmuc Nation, along with various tribal and non-tribal supporters, skillfully oversaw the mishoon's burning, which lasted 24 hours a day for a full week. The general public was encouraged to attend, providing an opportunity to gain insights into Native American traditions. Once the mishoon was completed, it became the focal point of the River Day festival, held on Saturday, June 24, 2023, at the Head of the Westport River.

This feature film is the work of videographer Alex Haggart, who camped out with the Wampanoag people and presented their story through beautiful imagery and meaningful dialogue.

View the film on WRWA's YouTube page.

Learn more about the New Bedford Film Festival.

2024 Winter Art Show at Westport Art Group Gallery

Our 11th annual art show took place at the Westport Art Group Gallery February 17 through March 2, 2024. The show was sponsored by the Westport Art Group, with support from the Westport Cultural Council.



We had 45 local and regional artists participating in this show themed "Love Your River." Visitors enjoyed the opening reception at the WAG gallery, and attendance was good during the two week period.

Big thanks to Barbara Healy and Pam Clarkson who provided a fun and creative evening of art instruction at the annual "Brushes and Brews," with donations of food and beverages by Ten Cousins, Westport Rivers and Buzzards Bay Brewing! We appreciate the extraordinary talents of our regional artists and enjoy the opportunity to share great art with our members and guests each winter. Above, participants show off their finished art work.

Join us in documenting observations of coastal flooding and storm impacts in Massachusetts and Rhode Island! With just your smartphone, you can easily contribute to MyCoast.org, a project overseen by the Office of Coastal Zone Management in Massachusetts. MyCoast is a tool to document coastlines.

MyCoast: Massachusetts serves as a platform for collecting and sharing photos and observations related to coastal flooding, storm impacts, and shoreline adaptation efforts. Your reports play a crucial role in raising awareness about coastal hazards and informing coastal management strategies.



Visit https://mycoast.org/ma to upload your photos and contribute to safeguarding our coastal environments.

Think Spring! Native Pollinator Plant Kits Available Now

How would you like to help our native bees and butterflies do their valuable work in our environment? WRWA is partnering with Butterfly Effect Farm of Westport this spring to assist our native pollinators with the plants and flowers they need. WRWA will host a Pollinator Party on May 19 from 2-4 pm at the River Center.

In addition to Emily Dutra, owner of Butterfly Effect Farm, being here to share her knowledge about pollinator plants, the River Center will be open with hands-on children's activities, face painting, and more.

The link to the order page of Butterfly Effect Farm is:  https://www.butterflyeffectfarm.com/product/westport-native-plant-kit-2024-spring-pre-order/

Local Author and Artist Will Host Book Launch at River Center

Local artist and author Pamela Lowell is releasing her new book, My Summer with Ospreys, at a special event to take place at the River Center. The book includes original watercolor paintings and describes Pam's working with Mass Audubon and WRWA while monitoring nests and chicks. Available in paperback in March, and at WRWA's book launch/fundraiser on May 18.

A percentage of sales from all Pam's works is donated to support Ospreys and their habitats.

Website: www.pamelalowell.com

Instagram: @palwrites

email:[email protected]