Our friends at Barnstable Clean Water Coalition alerted us to an opportunity for Cape Cod residents to have a say in how Barnstable County spends $41M in American Rescue Plan (ARPA)funding. Now’s the time to use infrastructure dollars to reduce nitrogen pollution in our waterways. Please read below and take the following action:

• Complete the Barnstable County survey on how to spend ARPA funds by February 4. CLICK HERE to complete an online survey and provide comments. Call 508-556-4733 to leave a voicemail with comments. 
• Send an email to Barnstable county Commissioners stressing the need to accelerate the installation of Innovative/Alternative Septic Systems to replace outdated Title 5 systems. Email: ARPA@BarnstableCounty.org.
  
  Sample email below

Dear Barnstable County Commissioners and County Representatives,
Besides clean air, nothing is more important to all Cape Codders than clean water. Please direct some of the ARPA funds that Barnstable County has received to accelerate the installation and approval of new advanced individual septic systems to replace our outdated Title 5 septic systems and cesspools.
Allocate funds to those willing to work on these advanced and enhanced systems including the Massachusetts Alternative Septic System Test Center (MASSTC), the Barnstable Clean Water Coalition, the Buzzards Bay Coalition, and individual towns.
These new systems hold the promise of lower cost and more rapid treatment of the wastewater that is contaminating our groundwater, which in turn, is poisoning our vital fresh and saltwater resources!
Sincerely,
Your Name

Please, take the survey. Send an email or leave a voicemail. There is strength in numbers and the Cape waterways need all of our help.