Drastic regulation changes proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency for Marion’s wastewater treatment plant could cost the town an estimated $20 million.

On Thursday, Selectmen considered comments in response to a pending National Pollution Elimination System permit for the wastewater plant.

At the meeting, representatives from engineering firm Camp, Dresser, McKee and Smith (CDM Smith) told board members there are several problems regarding the EPA’s draft permit.

The draft permit, which was provided in December for review, is required for facilities that discharge water into the environment. They identify and limit the amount of pollutants released, such as toxins, nitrogen, copper, aluminum and other materials.

Selectmen learned the EPA’s new draft permit is so different from the previous one that it's impossible to follow the new regulations without significant upgrades.

Board members were dismayed with the changes, saying plant employees work diligently to maintain high water quality standards.

“Where we find ourselves right now is not something the town of Marion failed to do,” Selectman Stephen Cushing said. “Essentially, the game has been changed when we were in good faith following the rules. It’s almost like a completely different game.”

In spite of that, Selectmen considered the new permit an opportunity to think about the facility’s future and its environmental impact.

But they hope to do that on their own terms.

CDM Smith said if the permit was issued as written the town would need to pay for capital expenditures and costs related to additional personnel, testing and maintenance.

Shawn Syde of CDM Smith said his firm found several issues in the draft permit that will be brought to the EPA’s attention in a bid to reduce costs.

“Essentially, the science the EPA used to develop the permit guidelines is flawed,” Syde said. “Certainly the EPA is giving you an accelerated compliance schedule. It’s very aggressive in our minds and unrealistic for the town to meet permit requirements in five years.”

One major change prohibits the use of three sewage lagoons. Installed in the 1970s, the lagoons take up a 20-acre footprint on the site and store excess wastewater when the plant is at capacity.

For the lagoons to meet draft permit requirements they must be lined to prevent wastewater from leaching into the soil, according to the EPA.

Other regulations dramatically reduce the amount of heavy metals and nitrogen allowed in discharged water. Meeting those regulations would require a new filtration system at the plant.

Comments from CDM Smith were sent to the EPA on Friday. Syde said it was important the comments be comprehensive because after Friday’s deadline nothing else can be submitted for EPA review.

“Now is the time to introduce a myriad of different ways and approaches that we don’t agree with. It’s critical because without them in there they can’t be part of the discussion down the line,” Town Administrator Paul Dawson.

Looking ahead, Dawson noted there are three options: Either the EPA will dismiss the comments and issue the permit as written, the agency will withdraw the permit allowing officials time to study alternatives or, “It could be anything in between,” he said.