Adaptive Management and Plan “B” Funding for the 30-year sewer plan is far from percentage of our drinking water assets are being certain. That is why we need a “Plan B”. For our “recharged” with wastewater. How safe can that be? wastewater challenges in Barnstable and on Cape BCWC believes we must do our best to address all Cod, only 昀氀exible, creative and adaptive thinking can wastewater on our peninsula. Everyone deserves get us to a place where we can all enjoy clean water. treated wastewater and clean water and the map on On the previous pages we illustrated the precipitous the previous page shows the limits of the current rising costs of sewer expansion in the town of plan in Barnstable. The three-phase plan will require Barnstable. Furthermore, the regulations to date are town wide support and multiple Proposition 2 ½ focused on estuary protection, not on our freshwater tax overrides. According to our math, decades and assets like lakes and ponds. Drinking water is “safe” billions of dollars on, almost half of Barnstable’s according to current standards, but the issues with households will not have upgraded wastewater the forever chemicals known as PFAS has taught treatment. How will these citizens vote? us a lesson about how things change, and a rising Tax Payers, Sewer Connections and Housing Units Taxpayers Who Receive No Wastewater 20,000 Treatment { 2050s* 2040s* 2030s Credit: BCWC ** The town has indicated that the three phase, 30-year sewer plan will connect approximately 11,100 homes. Here we adjust the connections in Phases 2 and 3 to account for the CFAC Phase 1 connection forecast of 3,534 down from last year’s 4,039 and a previous number of 4,571. BCleanWater.org Spring/Summer 2024 | Barnstable Clean Water Coalition | 9