A Note From The Helm SUBSIDIZE TO EQUALIZE CLEAN WATER FOR EVERYONE We all know water pollution is a problem on Cape Cod. Living on what is essentially a sand bar with a sole source aquifer we are surrounded by sea and peppered with ponds and lakes. Sadly, we have mistreated this treasure, relying largely on antiquated waste and wastewater disposal approaches. Our disregard has come home to roost. Most of our estuaries, lakes and ponds are impaired or worse, unusable due to harmful algal blooms. Elevated nitrogen levels in our drinking water indicate the One way or another the cost of cleaning up our creeping contamination from wastewater. The best water falls on all of us. Whether it is fees, taxes, or line of defense has been the treatment of our direct payments, we must pay. Shouldering such drinking water. We think it makes sense for everyone a burden is almost impossible unless we spread to have an activated carbon water 昀椀lter container the load AND involve everyone. If everyone pays, for drinking water. PFAS contamination may be the everyone should bene昀椀t. “canary in the coal mine” with its “slippery” nature In recent newsletters we have shown that new making it hard to eliminate at its source. The individual on-site wastewater treatment systems dangers from chemicals like PFAS have only recently are emerging. Some of these systems perform at been recognized and they may well be sentinels for levels equal to the best municipal systems. The the toxic soup of medicines, personal and household cost of these systems can be a fraction of sewer products we routinely pour down the drain. expansion which may enable a “clean water for Our groundwater and surface water will be all” approach. In addition, distributed individual compromised for decades. We must do better but wastewater treatment could assist in mitigating can’t let perfect be the enemy of good. Expanding our housing crisis by allowing the addition of ADUs centralized municipal wastewater collection and (accessory dwelling units) while still reducing per treatment systems (sewers) must be part of the parcel wastewater loads by 75% or more! “clean up” e昀昀ort even as new individual treatment In the rest of this newsletter, we illustrate systems and other nature-based approaches emerge. some possibilities. Our goal is to challenge the Meanwhile, costs are rising in terms of both money community to think creatively and adaptively. We and time making large scale treatment more seek a blended approach. Sewer in high density challenging. Climate change and warmer weather areas, close to treatment plants; subsidize and worsens the impact of water pollution. incentivize individual & cluster systems, institute State regulations now mandate reducing nitrogen “time to travel” considerations to target where and loads on most of Cape Cod for estuary protection how to prioritize our e昀昀orts. while our local boards of health are tasked with protecting us in our towns. 2 | Barnstable Clean Water Coalition | Spring/Summer 2024 BCleanWater.org