Grant Awarded

October 19, 2007--CAPE COD WATER PROTECTION COLLABORATIVE AWARDS $159,000 IN GRANTS TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY

On October 18, 2007 the Cape Cod Water Protection Collaborative announced the award of $159,000 through the Shared Watersheds, Shared Responsibilities grant program. Barnstable County, acting through its agent, the Cape Cod Water Protection Collaborative (CCWPC), has set aside funding for Cape communities working together to improve estuarine and drinking water quality. The purpose of this grant program is to provide the funds necessary to enable communities to solve problems that arise in shared watersheds.

The projects selected for funding were submitted by Falmouth, Orleans and the Alliance for Pleasant Bay on behalf of Chatham, Orleans, Brewster and Dennis. “The Shared Watersheds, Shared Responsibilities Grant program fulfills the promise of the Collaborative as a value added specialized agency that can help Cape communities make real progress toward the vital goal of improving protection our water resources” said Lance Lambros, Chairman of the Barnstable County Commissioners.

Falmouth was awarded $34,275 to work with Mashpee to evaluate wastewater disposal sites to accept wastewater removed from the Waquoit Bay watershed. Orleans was awarded $48,900 to quantify the potential cost savings associated with regional wastewater treatment and disposal facilities. The Pleasant Bay Alliance was awarded 2 grants, one for $40,000 to develop a fertilizer management strategy and the other for $35,000 to study restoration of the Muddy Creek as a freshwater system that will remove nitrogen before it impacts the Bay. View the grant proposals here

“CCWPC recognizes the unique challenges that arise when communities share a resource and therefore share responsibility for its management and stewardship.” Said Executive Director Andrew Gottlieb. “Often, despite the best of intentions, communities find it difficult to fund joint partnerships due to uncertainty about the fair allocation and distribution of costs. Experience has shown that successful clean up of embayments almost always requires cooperation between communities and some sharing of the costs and burdens. CCWPC has established this grant program specifically to encourage and support inter-municipal efforts to manage shared watersheds.”.

The CCWPC was created to help Cape Cod communities deal with water quality problems arising from excess nitrogen impacting drinking water and bays and tidal rivers. The Collaborative works with member communities to provide technical assistance, financial support and to coordinate interaction with federal and state funding sources.