Natural Resources

The Natural Resources Committee of the LWV of Falmouth studies several different issues related to the important and fragile environment on Cape Cod.

Wastewater Challenges.  Useful Links Regarding Wastewater Issues.

Wastewater Challenges

Falmouth and Cape Cod is facing one of its most important challenges - We must sewer substantial parts of the town to save our bays and estuaries. This will require a substantial investment of money and effort.

• Excess nitrogen from septic systems, lawn fertilizers, atmospheric deposition (rain, snow and fog) and storm water run off are overwhelming our natural systems. Our backyard septic systems contribute the most to this load of nitrogen entering our fragile bays and estuaries. The nitrogen levels in this waste stream are higher than what the natural systems can absorb. Just like the nitrogen in our garden fertilizers, this nitrogen causes aquatic plants to grow. But in this case it causes an explosion of growth, leading to algal blooms that can spread over a water body's surface blocking out sunlight, smothering eel grass beds and destroying shellfish beds. This can lead to fish kills and noxious odors.

• If you flush a toilet, you are contributing to the problem. Nitrogen in our wastes leaches from our septic systems and then into the groundwater. Over time this groundwater migrates to our coasts and estuaries. We are already seeing stressed ecosystems. In the long run this could impact our Town's economy as properties values along the waterfront could fall and Falmouth could be a less desirable tourist destination.

• Title 5 septic systems remove very little nitrogen. Only 3% of Falmouth is connected to the sewage treatment plant with the remainder of the town using septic systems or cesspools. To combat the nitrogen pollution to Falmouth estuaries, the Town must sewer substantial parts of the Town.
• Currently the Town is developing a Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan for the southeast facing estuaries http://www.falmouthwastewaterprojects.org/.

As part of the Wastewater Forum, the Natural Resources Committee developed a "Wastewater Treatment Road Map". see map

Useful Links Regarding Wastewater Issues

The following are useful links regarding Wastewater Issues.

• A good place to start is with this powerpoint by George Heufelder, Director of the Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment, explaining what the problems are with wastewater on Cape Cod.

  http://www.slideshare.net/wbws/wastewater-on-cape-cod-presentation

• Cape Cod is the only Groundwater Guardian community in Massachusetts. The team is part of the national Groundwater Guardian Program which supports, recognizes, and connects communities protecting their groundwater and is sponsored by the Groundwater Foundation in Lincoln, Nebraska. http://www.capecodgroundwater.org/

• The Cape Cod Commission Water Resources Office

  http://www.capecodcommission.org/water/

• The Massachusetts Estuaries Project (MEP) web site. http://www.oceanscience.net/estuaries/

Comments, suggestions, questions? Contact our webmaster. Last revised: June 1, 2010 12:27 PDT.

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