Each year this annual water health report assesses water quality based on the most recent available data up to and including the previous year (e.g., this year’s 2024 report assesses available water quality data up to and including 2023). To prepare assessments, APCC coordinates with local monitoring groups to gather available Cape Cod water quality data. These groups are listed in more detail in the sections that follow. APCC evaluates surface water quality for monitored freshwater ponds, coastal embayments, and public drinking water supplies using widely accepted scoring methods.

Freshwater ponds and coastal embayment scores are assigned one of two grade levels to distinguish between degraded surface waters, where Unacceptable water quality requires immediate action to restore water quality and surface waters with Acceptable quality require ongoing protection to avoid a decline in conditions. For public drinking water supplies, the quality of finish water after treatment and before distribution is graded using a three-level Excellent/Good/Poor grading system.

APCC evaluated surface water quality in freshwater ponds and lakes using data collected in 2019 through 2023. Public drinking water supplies were evaluated based on 2023 Consumer Confidence Reports. However, coastal embayment and station scores were not updated in 2024, as any worsening conditions would not result in modified grades in embayments already designated as unacceptable, and there was very little change in individual station results between the 2022 and 2023 evaluations. Furthermore, we have not seen any mitigation projects implemented since 2022 with the magnitude necessary to show measurable improvement within an embayment in a one-year timeframe. Therefore, the overall coastal embayment and individual station results represent data collecting from 2018-2022 and scored in 2023. That said, these coastal waters will be scored again in the years to come.  

Results from the 2024 assessment for freshwater ponds and drinking water supplies are summarized in this annual water health report and the 2023 assessment results for coastal embayment are provided again. To guide public action, APCC prepared a Water Action Plan that contains recommendations for changes in policies, actions, and regulations to improve and protect our waters.  

About APCC

Founded in 1968, the mission of APCC is to preserve, protect, and enhance the natural resources of Cape Cod. Our vision is a Cape Cod where waters are restored and protected, natural landscapes and wildlife habitat are preserved, and where growth respects the character of town centers and rural lands. To achieve these goals, we provide technical assistance, outreach, advocacy, science-based policies and partnership-building. APCC has established itself as the Cape’s environmental leader, earning a reputation for effective policies and actions to protect our precious natural resources (https://apcc.org). 

APCC is well-positioned to provide this Cape-wide assessment of our water quality. Since our inception in 1968, APCC has partnered with numerous organizations and agencies to protect and improve the Cape’s water resources and aquatic habitat through policy, science, and education. APCC’s successes include:  

• Designation of Cape Cod’s groundwater as a sole source aquifer to protect our drinking water;  
• Designation of the ocean waters around Cape Cod as state ocean sanctuaries;  
• Designation of Stellwagen Bank as a National Marine Sanctuary;  
• Passage of the Cape Cod Land Bank Act to preserve open space;  
• Creation of the Cape Cod Water Protection Collaborative to address water pollution due to wastewater;  
• Passage of the Cape Cod Commission Act to create a regional planning agency and promote regional planning;  
• Designation of the ocean waters surrounding Cape Cod as a No Discharge Area for boat sewage;  
• Coordination of Congressional authorization and funding of the Cape Cod Water Resources Restoration Project, a 10-year Cape-wide restoration program to restore impaired salt marsh and fish runs and shellfish beds; 
• Creation of APCC’s Ecosystem Restoration Program to assist communities in planning and implementing successful ecological restoration projects;  
• Formation of a regional stormwater partnership;  
• Evaluation of the effect of future sea level rise on the Cape’s aquifer;  
• Establishment of Cape-wide programs to monitor salt marshes, herring runs, harmful cyanobacteria blooms in freshwater ponds, and pond water quality; and  
• Passage of legislation creating and funding the Cape and Islands Water Protection Fund to provide municipalities with funding to address wastewater management needs. 

Why This Project is Needed

APCC recognized that while the Cape’s waters are well-studied and pollution issues are well-documented, this wealth of information on water quality is usually buried in reports, studies and websites and is not readily available in one place. More importantly, the data are often not translated into clear, easily understood results. Too often, reports that contain gold nuggets of information are mired in complex terminology understood, and seen, only by experts. This project provides easily understood information on water quality.

Goals

The State of the Waters: Cape Cod report is designed to plainly and clearly inform the public about the conditions of our waters. APCC collects water quality data from credible sources and translates the data into clear, easily understood terms in order to identify water quality problems that need to be addressed. Our goals are to: 1) Help people to understand the health of our waters and the need to protect and improve water quality; 2) Identify the actions needed to protect and improve water quality; and 3) Motivate public action to achieve clean water. 

Products

APCC has produced the following products, available through this State of the Waters website at https://capecodwaters.org (see “About” ):

• Interactive maps of water quality scores and grades for coastal embayments, ponds, and drinking water supplies; 
• Information on how water quality data were evaluated, scored and graded; 
• Annual Water Health Reports summarizing findings; 
• Water Action Plan containing recommendations for actions to protect and improve water quality; 
• Atlas of Water Restoration Needs and Solutions; 
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs); and  
• References and sources of information. 

Partners and Collaboration

Collaboration with partners is an essential feature of the State of the Waters: Cape Cod, as the project involves a gathering and summation of water quality data from many organizations. Partners also provide advice, support, funding, information, and networking. APCC is grateful to our partners, and we look forward to continuing partnerships and building new ones.

Advisory Committee: To help advise this project at its inception, APCC convened an Advisory Committee composed of experts in Cape Cod’s water pollution issues, nutrient issues, water monitoring, drinking water, aquatic ecosystems, fisheries, natural resource management and municipal management. Members provided advice, guidance, and data used in this project. The original members listed below represent local, regional and state agencies, environmental nonprofit organizations and partnerships. APCC would like to acknowledge the passing of Dr. Brian Howes and the retirement of Dr. Robert Duncanson and Jane Crowley who are no longer active on the committee.

• Dr. Brian Howes (deceased), School for Marine and Atmospheric Sciences and Technology (SMAST), University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth;
• Erin Perry, Deputy Director, and Dr. Tim Pasakarnis, Water Resources Specialist, Cape Cod Commission;
• Richard Delaney, Executive Director, and Dr. Amy Costa, Director, Water Quality Monitoring Program, Center for Coastal Studies;
• Pamela DiBona, Executive Director, and Prassede Vella, Staff Scientist, Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Partnership;
• Todd Callaghan, Coastal and Marine Scientist, Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management;
• Dr Rachel Jakuba, Vice President, Buzzards Bay Coalition;
• Dr. Ivan Valiela, Distinguished Scientist, and Dr. Javier Lloret, Research Scientist, Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole;
  Andrew Marks, Supervisor, Mashpee Water District;
• Ed Eichner, Principal, TMDL Solutions, LLC;
• Jordan Mora, former Research Technician, Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (WBNERR). Jordan is now with APCC.
• Dr. Robert Duncanson, former Director, Department of Natural Resources, Town of Chatham (now retired);
• Jane Crowley, former Director, Department of Health and Environment (now retired), Town of Eastham.

Additional partners provided data for this report and are referenced on the page Resources.

Funding: APCC dues and donations fund the production of this report. In the past, the State of the Waters benefitted from startup funding from the Massachusetts Environmental Trust (MET), an important supporter of environmental projects and funded by the sale of environmental license plates through the Registry of Motor Vehicles; a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Southeast New England Coastal Watershed Restoration Program (EPA SNEP) grant to the Cape Cod Commission; the Friendship Fund; and the Cape Cod Five Foundation. MassBays supports the work of the MassBays Regional Coordinator for Cape Cod through its Regional Service Provider contract with APCC.