State of the Waters: Cape Cod Report

Each year this annual water health report assesses water quality based on the most recent available data up to and including the previous year. 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: 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.

Results from the 2025 assessment for coastal embayments, freshwater ponds, and drinking water supplies are summarized in this annual water health report. 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 Cape wide restoration program to restore impaired salt marsh, 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.

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

• Interactive maps of water quality scores and grades for coastal embayments, ponds, and public drinking water suppliers;
• Information on how water quality data were evaluated, scored and graded;
• Summarized findings including annual results and discussion;
• Link to State of the Waters Data Viewer for individual pond and embayment information;
• Water Action Plan containing recommendations for actions to protect and improve water quality;
• Atlas of Water Restoration Needs and Solutions;
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs);
• Links to data sources and output spreadsheets; and
• References and sources of information.

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. Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Partnership supports the work of the MassBays regional coordinator for Cape Cod through its regional service provider contract with APCC.