​CAPE CODDER
Rich Eldred Wicked Local

Brewster could become the first Cape town to opt out of the Cape Cod and the Islands Water Protection Fund.
The select board believes Brewster can do better without the other 14 member towns.
The Water Protection Fund The Cape Cod and the Islands Water Protection Fund was created by the state legislature, at the urging of the Cape delegation, in 2018.  The idea was to fund mostly big ticket wastewater projects on Cape Cod, such as sewers  The state collects lodging taxes from Cape Cod, sends the funds to the CCIWPF which then disperses them to the member towns when they have an 
eligible project. 

The CCOWPF raises money from a 2.75% tax on lodging (hotels, motels, short term rentals) collected by the state in the 15 member towns. In the four years of its existence, the fund had raised $39 million and dispersed $30.5 million to Cape for projects such as the downtown sewer in Orleans ($14.9 million), $5.5 million for the sewer in Harwich and more. More funding is pending for other towns. 

To date, Brewster visitors and inn keepers have contributed about $2.6 million to the fund, but hasn't received any money for work on water quality projects, primarily because the town has major work in the near future. 
After a 4-0 vote at Monday’s select board meeting, voters will be asked at the fall Town Meeting to opt out, dropping the local 2.75% lodging tax. In a second article, they will be asked to adopt an option provided by the state for a 3% tax on short-term rentals. Most of that money could be used for water quality  projects at the town's discretion.  Over time Brewster could raise more cash with this tax than they stand to receive from the CCIWPF.
Withdrawing will require a two-thirds vote at Town Meeting.

Read Full Story Here.

Rich Eldred
Wicked Local - The Cape Codder

BREWSTER — Brewster may need to spend more than $30 million on sewer projects to meet pollution reduction targets established by the Department of Environmental Protection for Pleasant Bay. 
Nitrogen reduction quotas were agreed to under the 2018 joint Watershed Permit for Pleasant Bay issued by the DEP to Brewster, Orleans, Chatham and Harwich.
Orleans, Chatham and Harwich have previously launched construction projects and spent millions on sewer systems as they strive hit those targets.
The update on the town’s Integrated Water Resource Management Plan was prepared by the Horsley and Witten Group and reported to the Select Board and Board of Health Jan. 27.

Click here for full story.   

Click here to see full video of joint Board of Selectmen/Board of Health Meeting where this is discussed in detail.

​Please let your town leaders know how important healthy ponds and groundwater are to you. You can offer your suggestions about reducing septic system nutrients into ponds and groundwater in the box below Question 2 on the survey.

The BPC 2021 season of cyanobacteria pond monitoring and testing was record breaking on multiple fronts: number of ponds tested; samples collected; and number of volunteer citizen scientists participating -- who make this program possible! The program tested 18 ponds in our regular biweekly rotation, from May through October.  Additionally, we tested four more ponds at the request of concerned members. From these ponds, our dedicated 50 person team of Citizen Scientists collected more than 300 samples for toxin analysis. We published results biweekly to: our members; the Town of Brewster Departments of Health and Natural Resources; and to the local pond association leaders. On the infrequent occasions when test results showed a HIGH cyanobacteria count, we immediately advised Town of Brewster officials. 

The success and expansion of our program is a credit to a community of BPC donors who know that their participation in citizen science initiatives benefits the town, our friends and neighbors, and the environment. The work contributes directly to scientific research, we provide scientists with large, diverse, usable data sets, and provide town officials with important information. Being a member of the team can be a catalyst for personal change and is both a social and fun activity! 

We will continue to rely on your help and support in 2022. Our plan for next year is to expand the pond cyanobacteria monitoring program, and to continue our airborne toxin research at the Mill Ponds.

Your membership involvement is the key to getting things done! ​

Your $125 donation replenishes cyanobacteria testing and analysis supplies—like water collection bottles, plastic hoses vials, collection tote bags, and microscope slides—throughout the testing season.

​Your $250 donation equips the Citizen Scientist program with laboratory collection and analysis equipment including aerosol collection devices.

​Your $500 donation goes towards the cost of cyanoscope, fluorometer, and anatoxin kit purchases. 

​Thanks to our supporters' generosity, the 2022 appeal has raised $24,000 to date towards a goal of $71,000, in support of Citizen Science and other BPC programs.

Please renew your membership. It's easy—just press the button below or visit: brewsterponds.org

Our "hats-off" to BPC member Susan Bauer!  See this WBZ TV news piece about how the Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage take care of this problem in Cape Cod ponds. ​

​Through the generosity of members like you, the Pond Education Team converted many of the pond field trip experiences and live lessons into virtual equivalents last year creating the Virtual Pond Education Curriculum for children.  (Click here to see this amazingly creative program on the new BPC YouTube Channel!
In 2022 we are looking forward to returning to live field trips for both 2nd and 5th grade students for observation, exploration, and hands-on research experiences.  The Pond Ed Team constantly updates the curriculum through dialogue with teachers to provide an engaging experience for Brewster school children.  Volunteers are also hard at work creating a new puppet show stage for the live presentation of the famous Pond Polly puppet show.

​Your $75 donation will help purchase new pond books and ensure curriculum updates for both grade level programs in Brewster school classrooms as well as materials for the hula hoop research stations on field trips.

​Your $150 donation will purchase arts and craft supplies for creating new signs, posters, and other educational display materials, and building macroinvertebrates models.

​Your $200 donation will help the building of the new live puppet theatre stage and its accessories. The puppets and the puppet theater will be used to produce an updated live pond health puppet show for the students, voiced by BPC volunteers.

​Your $400 donation will help fund bus transportation to and from the ponds for a pond field trips - the culmination of the Pond Education Curriculum for Brewster School Children.

​Thanks to generous supporters, the 2020 appeal has raised almost $16,000 to date towards our goal of $71,000 in support of the Pond Education and other BPC programs.

Please renew your membership or join us TODAY. It's easy--just press the button below or visit: brewsterponds.org/join--donate

2022 is an important year for the Brewster Ponds Coalition as we move ahead with advocacy for nutrient reductions into Brewster's groundwater, pond remediation projects and our core Citizens Science and Pond Education programs.  Please join us in this critical work. 

Your $400 contribution helps fund bus transportation for a pond field trip - the culmination of the annual Pond Education Curriculm for Brewster School Children.

Your $125 contribution funds one cyanobacteria test plus equipment.

Your $225 donation funds one cyanobacteria aerosol test plus equipment.

It was a chilly 59 degrees on Halloween Day morning when the swimmers met at 8:45 at Sheep Pond, Brewster to get into their sausage casings (wetsuits) and ready for a 9:00 AM water start. They all wore safety buoys so people can see them and are also somewhat of an aid for a tired swimmer. ​

BPC Communication Team member and open water swim competitor, Pam Rogers, who swam that day writes..." The wind is usually calm at the start in the sparkling cove near the boat ramp. It often is choppy around the left corner with wind and or a current. Yes, most people don’t realize there can be a “push” of water current or wind and waves from one end to the other. We often swim the left shoreline, and at a quarter mile there is a place we all know as “the branch.” Lots of times we regroup there. Around that corner is where the water surface can become choppy. Another 300 yards further down the left shore is what we call the “sandbar.” There are a couple of sunken boats there and if you aren’t careful and stay out from the shore, you can actually run aground and have to walk! We agreed that the most memorable part of the swim was that it was remarkable to see the trees and sky reflected in the water as we stroked along."​

A water sample was collected at Cliff Pond on Monday, November 1st at the swimming beach off Flax Pond Road. Laboratory analysis showed cyanobacteria levels of 2,800 cells/ml, below the MDPH guideline level of 70,000 cells/ml. Microcystin toxin level was <1 ppb.
 
MDPH requires two rounds of samples below the guideline level, one week apart, to recommend rescinding an advisory. As these are the second round of low results, the advisory can be lifted.

Things took a turn on the morning of October 17th for our final Eco-Paddle Fun-Raiser of the season. Winds along the shore of Cape Cod Bay kicked up to over 15 mph - a bit challenging and risky even for experienced paddlers to traverse Paines Creek. It took quick thinking by the experienced guides of SupFari Adventures and a flexible group of BPC paddlers to make the decision to transport the kayaks to the more protected Sesuit Harbor and marsh.  As you can see (above) that turned out to be a great idea and everyone enjoyed the beautiful morning.