ADU Pulse

Infrastructure Tracker

14 Communities

Where local Board of Health rules exceed Title 5 minimums — and what that means for ADU feasibility.

Massachusetts law (M.G.L. c. 111, § 31) authorizes local Boards of Health to adopt septic regulations stricter than the state Title 5 baseline. This tracker identifies where local rules exceed state minimums and assesses the practical impact on ADU development. Exceeding Title 5 is not a legal deficiency — it is an exercise of granted local authority.

DuxburyBarrier

Plymouth County

4/1/1
FalmouthBarrier

Barnstable County

5/1/1
NantucketExceeds Baseline

Nantucket County

6/0/1
PlymouthExceeds Baseline

Plymouth County

3/0/1
UptonExceeds Baseline

Worcester County

4/0/1
East BridgewaterExceeds Baseline

Plymouth County

2/0/1
WestonExceeds Baseline

Middlesex County

6/0/0
SudburyExceeds Baseline

Middlesex County

6/0/0
SouthboroughExceeds Baseline

Worcester County

7/0/0
CantonConsistent

Norfolk County

0/0/3
NeedhamConsistent

Norfolk County

0/0/3
HansonConsistent

Plymouth County

0/0/3
WilbrahamConsistent

Hampden County

0/0/2
MiltonConsistent

Norfolk County

0/0/2

Methodology

This analysis compares local Board of Health supplementary rules against the state Title 5 baseline (310 CMR 15.000). Unlike zoning — where Chapter 150 preempts certain local restrictions — local Boards of Health are explicitly authorized under M.G.L. c. 111, § 31 to adopt standards stricter than Title 5. Exceeding the state baseline is not a legal deficiency. This analysis measures the gap between local and state requirements and assesses practical impact on ADU feasibility. It does not constitute legal advice.