More than two-thirds of Cape Cod’s embayments, or shoreline indentations, and one-third of its freshwater ponds have serious water quality issues, a new report finds.
The report out Wednesday, from the nonprofit Association to Preserve Cape Cod, paints a picture of a region-wide coastal and freshwater problem.
The issues stem mostly from old septic systems in the area and poorly treated wastewater, which pollute water bodies with excess nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. Other factors — like storm runoff, mercury pollution from fossil fuel plants and industrial compounds like PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroacetate substances) — also contribute to the problem.