For more than 20 years, the towns of Barnstable and Mashpee have known that Shoestring Bay was being slowly destroyed by excess nitrogen from septic systems leaching into the groundwater. They've known that Title 5-approved septic systems were never designed to remove nitrogen from wastewater. And they've known that the installation of Title 5 septic …
Continue reading Shoestring Bay Can’t Wait Another 20 Years: Approve I/A Systems Now
Title 5 is a Massachusetts regulation that requires the proper siting, construction, and maintenance of septic and other on-site wastewater disposal systems. When it was enacted in 1995 Title 5 was hailed as a model of environmental stewardship, designed to protect the Commonwealth’s waterways and communities from contamination. Conventional Septic System Design Fast-forward to 2021 …
The town of Barnstable estimates it will cost $1.4billion to undo the decades of neglect of our polluted, dying waterways. That could cost a property owner $17k over 30 years for sewering costs and other remediation technologies. Yup, that's a lot of money. But the cost of doing nothing is even scarier. The decrease in …
Continue reading You Think Fixing our Waterways is Expensive?
What: A proposal for a Sewer Assessment Ordinance to finance a portion of the cost to construct the sewer expansion will be presented for community discussion at a series of virtual public forums. Who: Mark Ells, Barnstable Town Manager, will present the proposed sewer assessment ordinance; along with Daniel Santos, Director, Department of Public Works; and Mark …
Continue reading Learn about the Barnstable Sewer Assessment Ordinance
Now the big guns are getting involved: Conservation Law Foundation has the Cape's polluted waterways in its sites. Check out this great video. CLF just had a huge legal win in Hawaii that will have direct implications for the group's work to hold polluters accountable on Cape Cod.
And so it spreads. The toxic algae bloom that's been plaguing Santuit Pond since June is leaving the pond and spreading down to the Santuit River. It's now a sickly green color. According to today's Cape Cod Times, the Mashpee Board of Selectmen will "bring up the topic at its meeting at 6:30 p.m. Dec. …
Following is the last in a series on the Town of Barnstable’s Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan. Let your voice be heard: come to one of the town's open meetings for public comment about the Plan. Stormwater Upgrade The Town’s program will identify and provide solutions to 207 existing stormwater outfalls, one of which is located …
Continue reading Update on Barnstable’s Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan/Part 3
Second in a 3-Part Series on the Town of Barnstable’s Draft Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan Why are Cape waters in so much trouble? The short answer is, Nitrogen. And where does the nitrogen come from? Another short answer. Septic systems... by a mile. Septic - 78% Fertilizers - 9% Stormwater - 8% Wastewater treatment facilities …
Continue reading Update on Barnstable’s Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan/Part 2
The Draft Plan (CWMP) is Out: Urgent Call to Action for Cotuit The draft plan covers the entirety of the town’s plan for nitrogen mitigation as well as handling other “Contaminants of Concern.” It’s worth reading through the entire [227 pages!] document. But to save you a little time, we’ve whittled the findings down to …
Continue reading Update: Barnstable’s Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan/Part 1
Save Our Shoestring 