Additional Resources for Solutions
APCC’s “Hanging in the Balance”report: Prioritize acquisition of permanently protected open space in public water supply areas to protect water quality (see APCC’s “Hanging in the Balance”report at https://apcc.org/resources/
APCC’s Ecosystem Restoration Program website: https://apcc.org/our-work/
Barnstable County’s Cape Cod AquiFund offers low-interest betterment loans to Cape Cod homeowners faced with the cost of repairing or replacing failed septic systems, upgrading to alternative septic system technologies, as well as connecting to municipal sewers.
Barnstable County’s alternative septic system testing center has been testing the efficacy of different alternative septic systems and has identified several as being potentially useful.
Cape Cod Freshwater Initiative : Actively participate in the implementation of the Freshwater Initiative to protect and restore the Cape’s lakes and ponds. Elements include pond monitoring, pond remediation technologies and approaches, economic analysis, and more.
Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund: provides a non-property tax-based source of funds to help Cape Cod and the Islands pay for necessary wastewater infrastructure and water quality remediation efforts. Through 2022, this fund has provided $98 million to eight towns to assist them with wastewater management and to provide dollar for dollar property tax relief to residents of Barnstable County.
Cape Cod Commission’s website: water quality improvement success stories can be found here.
MassDEP’s updated regulations for nitrogen sensitive areas on Cape Cod (https://www.mass.gov/
Solutions for Coastal Embayments:
Association to Preserve Cape Cod, State of the Waters: Cape Cod Action Plan: Recommended Actions for Coastal Embayments: https://capecodwaters.org/action-plan/#embayments
Cape Cod Commission, 208 Water Quality Management Plan for Cape Cod: https://www.capecodcommission.org/our-work/208/
Cape Cod Commission, 208 Watershed Reports: https://www.capecodcommission.org/our-work/208-plan-implementation/#WatershedReports
Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund: https://www.capecodcommission.org/our-work/cape-cod-and-islands-water-protection-fund/
Cape Cod Water Protection Collaborative: https://www.capecodcommission.org/our-work/cape-cod-water-protection-collaborative/
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MA DEP) Watershed Permit: contact Brian Dudley, MADEP, brian.dudley@state.ma.us
Pleasant Bay Watershed Permit: 8/3/18 https://pleasantbay.org/wp-content/uploads/Pleasant-Bay-Watershed-Permit-copy.pdf
Massachusetts Environmental Trust: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-environmental-trust
Massachusetts Stormwater Program: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/stormwater and https://www.epa.gov/npdes-permits/massachusetts-small-ms4-general-permit
Solutions for Ponds:
Association to Preserve Cape Cod, State of the Waters: Cape Cod Action Plan: Recommended Actions for Ponds: https://capecodwaters.org/action-plan/#ponds
Association to Preserve Cape Cod, Cyanobacteria Monitoring Program: https://www.apcc.org/cyano/index.html
Cape Cod Commission Ponds and Lakes https://www.capecodcommission.org/our-work/ponds-and-lakes/
Cape Cod Commission Freshwater Initiative https://www.capecodcommission.org/our-work/cape-cod-freshwater-initiative/
Cape Cod Commission website on Water Resources: https://www.capecodcommission.org/our-work/topic/water-resources/
Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund: https://www.capecodcommission.org/our-work/cape-cod-and-islands-water-protection-fund/
Cyanobacteria Monitoring Collaborative: https://cyanos.org
Massachusetts Environmental Trust: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-environmental-trust
Massachusetts Lakes and Ponds Program: https://www.mass.gov/lakes-and-ponds-program
Massachusetts Stormwater Program: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/stormwater
Solutions for Drinking Water Supplies:
Association to Preserve Cape Cod, State of the Waters: Cape Cod Action Plan: Recommended Actions for Drinking Water Supplies. https://capecodwaters.org/action-plan/#watersupply
Cape Cod Commission website on water resources: https://www.capecodcommission.org/our-work/drinkingwater/
Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund: https://www.capecodcommission.org/our-work/cape-cod-and-islands-water-protection-fund/
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MA DEP) drinking water protection: https://www.mass.gov/topics/drinking-water
Massachusetts Source Water Assessment and Protection Program (SWAP) and SWAP plans, Southeast Region: https://www.mass.gov/service-details/the-source-water-assessment-protection-swap-program
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, national drinking water protection: https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Safe Drinking Water Act, Consumer Confidence Reports: https://www.epa.gov/ccr
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Drinking water state revolving fund: https://www.epa.gov/drinkingwatersrf