The Buzzards Bay Coalition is offering up to a $5,000 subsidy to help offset the cost of connecting to town sewer for qualifying Dartmouth residents.

The Coalition has recently mailed letters directly to homes with older septic systems that are close to an existing sewer line offering a subsidy if they were to commit to connecting.

Nitrogen pollution is the biggest threat to Dartmouth’s coastal water quality. Too much nitrogen fuels excess algae growth that leads to murky waters, loss of habitat for fish and shellfish, and potential health risks that impact recreational use of Padanaram Harbor and the Bay.

Today, residential septic systems account for a significant portion of the nitrogen entering local waterways. Connecting homes to sewer is the best way to reduce nitrogen pollution in the Bay.

With $100,000 from the EPA and a recent grant of $40,000 from the town of Dartmouth, this initiative can convert 28 homes from septic to sewer, removing an estimated 1800 lbs. of nitrogen from Padanaram Harbor and Buttonwood Brook.