Shoestring Bay flows between two towns on the Cape - Barnstable and Mashpee. While we at Save Our Shoestring live in Barnstable, we work closely with Mashpee Clean Waters to raise awareness of the desperate situation in our Bay. And thanks to the hard work of Mashpee Clean Waters, the town is edging closer to …
Continue reading Mashpee Voters Approve Funding for Wastewater Treatment Plant Design
On April 23, 2020 the Supreme Court issued a major ruling on the Clean Water Act in County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund. The Court ruled that the law can forbid polluters from dumping waste into navigable streams, rivers, and coastal waters without a permit, even if the pollution reaches those waters through groundwater. …
Continue reading Supreme Court Decision Could Pave Way for Cape Water Clean-Up
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
A must-read; Cape Cod Times' article on next steps for the town of Barnstable sewering. Excerpts of the article below. Read the wastewater management draft plan HYANNIS — The Barnstable Town Council is rolling up its sleeves to tackle the $1.06 billion sewer project that begins next year and will continue for the next three …
Continue reading Cape Cod TImes: Barnstable Sewering Project Moves Forward
We live on Shoestring Bay, a beautiful estuary of Popponesset Bay. Unfortunately, the water quality fails every Massachusetts standard for clean water. Why? Too much nitrogen and phosphorous leaching into the water---80% of which can be attributed to our Title-5 septic systems. The current clamor for replacing septic systems with new sewers is growing, and …
Continue reading What’s Up With Innovative Alternative Septic Systems?
Anyone who cares about the quality of our bays, rivers and ponds should read the Association to Preserve Cape Cod's (APCC) latest newsletter. The authors note "climate change will have profound impacts on Cape Cod’s water resources and water-dependent ecosystems... Throughout the Northeast, climate change will impact water resources through: Increased precipitation, with more of …
Save Our Shoestring 