The Provincetown Department of Public Works is responsible for all of the Town's public works functions, including Highway, Water, Wastewater, Solid Waste, and Buildings & Grounds. DPW has the responsibility of more than $30,000,000 dollars in projects and budgets, including Water, Solid Waste, Wastewater, and Buildings & Grounds.

90 Shank Painter Road Soil Remediation Update - July 2, 2008: See picture taken July 2, 2008 that reflects the soil remediation project by town forces nearing completion. Contact Public works Director David Guertin for more information.

Water

Current Rates for Miscellaneous Water-Related Services are set forth below:
Turn on/turn off $15.00, $80.00 after hours
Meter testing $50.00, waived if meter over-registers
Flow tests $50.00, hydrant or fire services
Mark-out $25.00
Leak detection $25.00 per hour or portion thereof
See Public Notice.

Water Pumpage report 1996-2007

Annual Water Report for 2007. Meeting the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Provincetown Water Department is proud to provide you with the 2007 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report.

Provincetown, Truro Selectmen sign 4-year Intermuncipal Water Agreement extension. On October 12, 2004, the Provincetown and Truro Boards of Selectmen approved a four-year extension to the intermunicipal water agreement while jointly submitting to Cape Cod National Seashore a plan for replacing the North Truro Air Force Base wells with North Union Field in the Town of Truro. The Intermunicipal Water Agreement-- which was first reached in 1981 and significantly amended in 2000-- is extended for a period of four years- until December 31, 2008-and includes these new provisions:

• Provincetown may acquire North Union Field in Truro-- upon terms to be further negotiated-- to facilitate its development as a redundant water supply source.
• Provincetown and Truro will jointly submit by October 15, 2004 the plan to Cape Cod National Seashore for replacement of the NTAFB wells with North Union Field.
• Provincetown and Truro commit to developing water supplies that will constitute a fully redundant source to the existing South Hollow Well Field (800,000 GPDs), as required by DEP, and to develop by December 31, 2006 a plan for achieving such redundancy.
• Provincetown and Truro will each appoint 2 members to a 4-member Pamet Lens Oversight Group (PLOG)-an advisory body with no executive authority-- which would make recommendations on a conservation plan, watershed management plan, and water system master plan to be adopted by both boards.
• Provincetown's Water Enterprise Fund budget requests will be based on the water system master plan jointly adopted by the two boards; Truro Selectmen will have an opportunity to provide their written comments thereon, and to meet jointly with the Provincetown Selectmen.
• Truro agrees to cooperate with Provincetown in the pursuit of payment of unpaid water bills from properties in the Town of Truro.

Water Use Restrictions
The following restrictions are in effect from June 1 through October 1 in each calendar year:
No lawn sprinklers
No soaker hoses
No power washing
No hydro seeding
No washing of vehicles (except emergency and sanitation vehicles)
No filling or curing of swimming pools
Violators are subject to fines and termination
of water service.

Water Rate Changes for 2003. The Provincetown Water and Sewer Board held a public hearing Monday March 3, 2003 in the Second Floor Meeting Room, Senior Center, Grace Gouveia Building, 26 Alden Street, Provincetown MA 02657 and then and there amended the water rates charged by the Provincetown Water System for the period March 15, 2003 through March 14, 2004. Click for water rate structure.

Most Improved Community System. The Commonwealth's Department of Environmental Protection and the Massachusetts Water Works Association has presented its 2001 Public Water System Award for Most Improved Community System to the Provincetown Water Department for notable performance and achievement in the year 2000. Provincetown's average daily withdrawals are at a 10-year low. Water withdrawn (pumped) declined by 4.7% between 1999 and 2000-- from 901,460 gallons per day (GPDs) to 859,536 GPDs. The percentage of unaccounted-for-water continues to decline-- from 19.78% for the billing period ending February 1999, to 15.78% through April 2000, to 12.95% for the period ending October 2000.

Solid Waste

The Town provides residential curbside recycling and refuse pick-up. Click for Curbside Pick-up Schedule Read about curbside recycling in Provincetown. Read the regulations for solid waste and recycling..

Transfer Station/Recyling Center - 24 Race Point Road.
The Transfer Station will be openeveryday from 6:00 a.m. -2:00 p.m.
Winter hours do not go into effect until November 1, 2008.

Household Hazardous Products Collection at Transfer Station Saturday October 6, 2007. See Notice.

New Transfer Station Fees: The Provincetown Board of Health held a Public Hearing on Thursday, August 23, 2007 at 5:00p.m. in Caucus Hall, Town Hall, 260 Commercial Street, Provincetown, Massachusetts, and then and there voted 4-0-0 to approve the new procedures and fees, effective immediately: See Public Notice.

Transfer Station Repairs: On October 16, 2006 the Provincetown Transfer Station will commence construction underneath the Trash Hopper. This construction will only have an effect on the dumping of trash. This construction will not effect CURBSIDE TRASH AND RECYLING PICK UP. The Recycling Center will remain open and we will receive all recycling products to include metals, brush, TV's, computers, and anything else we recycle. The swap shop will also remain open. Read Public Notice.

HAZARDOUS AND NON-HAZARDOUS PAINT PRODUCTS . See information on how to dispose of hazardous and non-hazardous paints, stains and wood finishes.

FEE INCREASE. The Provincetown Board of Health voted on Thursday, May 13, 2004 to revise fee structure. See public notice.

Historic Land Exchange: August 2, 1999. The Town of Provincetown operates a solid waste transfer and recycling facility off Race Point Road, on property acquired in a land exchange with the National Park Service.

SEMASS TONNAGE INCREASED BY 2.8% IN FY 2003. Between FY 2002 and FY 2003, Provincetown's solid waste tonnage tipped at SEMASS increased from 4,503.65 to 4,631.02 tons-- an increase of 127.37 tons, or 2.8%. See data. For the first three months of FY 2004 (July, August, September), tonnage declined by 9.32 tons, compared to FY 2003.

LOWER CAPE REGIONAL MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT STUDY. For the November 2003 Final Report, see http://www.barnstablecounty.org/#news

Wastewater

Sewer Emergency Phone Number: 508-487-5474

Sewer User Rate Decrease: On October 16, 2008, the Provincetown Water and Sewer Board held a public hearing and voted, pursuant to MGL c. 83, §16, to decrease the sewer user rate from the current rate of $0.0185/gallon to $0.01385/gallon. On October 27, 2008 the Provincetown Board of Selectmen voted, pursuant to MGL c. 40, §22F, to approve the recommendation of the Water and Sewer Board, effective November 16, 2008. This rate change reflects a 25.14% decrease from the current rate and applies to all properties connected to the sewer. See Public Notice.

Wastewater Project Update
Report to the Board of Selectmen for the July 16th Special Meeting
Wastewater Financial Analysis and Update. This draft report was presented by the Wastewater Team to the Board of Selectmen on July 16, 2007. Following discussion, a final report will be presented on August 27, 2007.

Pursuant to Chapter 21, Section 43 of the General Laws, and Regulations 314 CMR 5.00 and 2.06, notice is given of the following application(s) for renewal of groundwater discharge permit and proposed actions thereon: Provincetown Wastewater Treatment Works. See Public Notice.

Pursuant to Chapter 21, Section 43 of the General Laws, and Regulations 314 CMR 7.00 and 2.06, notice is given of the following application(s) for sewer extension or connection permits and proposed actions thereon: Cape End Manor Sewer Extension. See Public Notice.

Amendments to Water & Sewer Regulations: The Provincetown Water and Sewer Board held a public hearing Thursday, March 1, 2007, in the Second Floor Meeting Room, Senior Center, Grace Gouveia Building, 26 Alden Street, Provincetown MA 02657 and then and there amended and adopted the following Sewer Rules and Regulations. Read Public Notice for changes.

Laundromat Sewer Extension-Amendment of Final Area of Concern and Sewer Regulations: The Provincetown Water and Sewer Board held a public hearing on Thursday, June 8, 2006 and voted to expand the Final Area of Concern in conjunction with the Laundromat sewer extension to include the following properties: 56 Shank Painter Rd., 68 Shank Painter Rd., 14 Mercantile Way, 33 Ships Way Rd., 39 Ships Way Rd., and 41R Ships Way Rd. The Board also voted to amend Section 6.B.2 of the Sewer Rules and Regulations by adding a new subsection (c) as follows: "Properties included within the area added to the Service Area by amendment of the final area of concern on June 8, 2006, provided such amendment is approved by DEP." See Public Notice.

Dept. of Environmental Protection Application for Sewer Extension: Pursuant to Chapter 21, Section 43 of the General Laws, and Regulations 314 CMR 7.00 and 2.06, notice is given of the following application(s) for sewer extension or connection permits and proposed actions for a sewer extension to serve a laundromat, supermarket and residential properties. See Public Notice.

Minimum Sewer Bill - On October 24, 2005, the Board of Selectmen voted, pursuant to MGL C.40, §22F, to approve a flat rate which establishes a minimum sewer bill of $75 for residences and $150 for commercial accounts, as adopted by the Water & Sewer Board on October 20, 2005. See Public Notice.

Sewer Connection Surcharge Rates - On July 18, 2005 the Provincetown Board of Selectmen voted, pursuant to MGL c. 40, §22F, to approve the sewer connection surcharge rate as amended by the Water and Sewer Board on July 13, 2005 to increase said rate from $33.68 to $39.08 per gallon per day of Title 5 design flow, effective September 15, 2005. See Public Notice.

More sewer information

Sewer Rates Established - The Provincetown Water and Sewer Board held a public hearing Thursday, May 29, 2003 to establish the sewer rates charged by the Provincetown Wastewater System as follows: a transitional rate for July 1, 2003 through March 14, 2004 at 0.0185 per gallon of water usage. See Public Notice.

New Sewer Rules and Regulations. The Provincetown Water and Sewer Board held a public meeting Thursday March 20, 2003 in the Second Floor Meeting Room, Senior Center, Grace Gouveia Building, 26 Alden Street, Provincetown MA 02657 and then and there amended and adopted the following Sewer Rules and Regulations related primarily to the connection of properties to the municipal sewer system. Click here for complete details.

Notice of the sewer system mandatory-connection properties. The Provincetown Water & Sewer Board pursuant to Chapter 157 of the Acts of 2000, An Act Authorizing the Town of Provincetown to Operate a Sewer System, confirms the following list of properties designated by the Board of Health on July 18, 2002 as "blue dot - mandatory connection" properties; as such, these property owners are required to connect their properties to the sewer system. Click here for a complete listing.

Contractor List. Click here for a complete list of contractors providing service for the installation of the sewer

Sewer Hook-up FAQs. Have a question regarding your sewer hook up? Click here for some of the most Frequently Asked Questions.

New Rules and Regulations. The Board of Health has adopted new Rules and Regulations for Trash Pick up and the Transfer Station, effective 01/23/03.

Highway

Overhanging Tree Limbs, Bushes and Hedges: EFFECTIVE 2nd WEEK OF NOVEMBER 2008 - The Highway Department will be patrolling Town Roadways looking for overhanging tree limbs, intrusion of bushes and hedges into or over public ways that can interfere with winter operations of sanding and plowing. See Public Notice.

Street Sweeping Regulations in Effect May 27, 2008:The Town of Provincetown Street Sweeping regulations will go into effect on Tuesday, May 27, 2008. Parking is prohibited and violators will be towed on Commercial Street in street sweeping zones from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM as indicated in the Public Notice. See Public Notice.

Discontinuance of Route 6 in Provincetown. The Massachusetts Board of Highway Commissioners has voted to discontinue Route 6 in Provincetown as a state highway and to transfer to the Town of Provincetown all of the roadway and portions of the adjoining property for wastewater disposal areas. View the discontinuance plan (8 sheets - PDF files)

For more information contact: 
Office of the Director of Public Works, Town of Provincetown, 26 Alden Street, Provincetown, MA  02657 (508) 487-7060