Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are nutrients in a water quality context?
Q: Why is nitrogen loading a concern to all property owners in Falmouth?
Q: What is eelgrass and why is it important?
Q: What are the most common sources of nitrogen in our estuaries and ponds?
Q: What is FACES role in nutrient management?
Q: How can I, as an individual, help?
Q: What are the consequences of doing nothing?
Q: What is Falmouth's plan for wastewater management?
Q: What is the projected cost of an integrated wastewater solution for Falmouth?
Q: What are other Cape Cod towns doing?
Q: Is there an overall Cape Cod plan and solution?
Q: Is FACES opposed to development in Falmouth?
Q: What are FACES long-term goals to preserve water quality in Falmouth?
Q: Does Cape Cod geology play a role in the nutrient problems?
Q. What is the Falmouth Friendly Lawn Campaign?
Q: What are nutrients in a water quality context?
A: Nitrogen and phosphorus are the most important dissolved nutrients. They can affect water quality because they control the growth of algae in natural waters. Phosphorus has a deleterious effect in fresh water bodies while nitrogen has the same effect in saltwater bodies. All ground water and waters of ponds and coastal estuaries have a natural "background" of these chemicals. When these waters become too enriched with nitrogen or phosphorus, it causes pollution and water quality problems that have local and regional effects.
Q: Why is nitrogen loading a concern to all property owners in Falmouth?
A: Nitrogen is the most important nutrient in Falmouth because increased nitrogen is tightly aligned to greater growth of algae in estuaries. Excess nitrogen in Falmouth's coastal ponds and estuaries is leading to serious degradation that ultimately will result in "dead zones". Excessive nitrogen increases growth of phytoplankton and large mats of "macroalgae" that covers the bottom and smothers eelgrass beds. When the algae decomposes, it depletes oxygen supplies, kills or drives away aquatic life and leads to foul smells in warm weather. Healthy estuaries are one important reason why people choose to live in or visit Falmouth. With over 65 miles of shoreline, Falmouth bays and ponds represent an unprecedented opportunity to swim, fish, shellfish, boat and walk in and around natural environments. Ultimately, nitrogen overloading will affect the quality of life and real estate values in Falmouth. As property values around the ponds decrease, taxes generated decrease with a result that the rest of the taxpayers have to pick up the shortfall.
Q: What is a TDML?
A: The Total Daily Maximum Load is the calculated maximum amount of nutrients (both natural and human) that a particular pond or water body can absorb and still maintain a healthy environmental condition. Determining TDML is based on the geologic and hydrologic character of each water body, including size and flushing rate.
Q: What is eelgrass and why is it important?
A: Loss of eelgrass is an early indicator of declining health in an estuary. Eelgrass is an important aquatic plant that provides critical habitat for a variety of fish. Eelgrass used to be very common in all of the estuaries but has declined greatly over the past 30 years in estuaries as nitrogen loading has increased. Permanent mats of algae have replaced eelgrass in many of Falmouth's estuaries.
Q: What are the most common sources of nitrogen in our estuaries and ponds?
A: Nitrogen in Falmouth's estuaries comes from three dominant sources: precipitation and road runoff, septic systems and fertilizers that are spread on lawns, golf courses and agricultural areas. Nitrogen from all of these sources moves into ground water, which then seeps into rivers and estuaries. In Falmouth's estuaries, septic systems are the largest source of nitrogen, followed by precipitation, then fertilizers. Nitrogen from septic systems and fertilizer can be controlled locally. Controlling nitrogen in precipitation depends on national and international laws to control the pollution that causes acid rain.
Q: What is FACES role in nutrient management?
A: As a volunteer organization, FACES tries to bring attention to the problem of nutrient loading and the serious effects it has on all of Falmouth's water bodies. We also offer help in preparing management plans for the town to implement town-wide sewering. In addition, FACES provided education to citizens by conducting the Falmouth Friendly Lawn campaign and programs where school children learn about nutrient enrichment.
Q: How can I, as an individual, help?
A: Start by getting informed about the issues and the need to change how we all have been contributing to excess nutrients. Reduce the use of chemicals and lawn care products; support planning for town-wide sewers; support conservation and protection of wetlands, rivers and other open space areas, and make it known to town leaders that reducing nutrient loads and protecting natural resources is important to you. Also, consider joining FACES and other conservation organizations in Falmouth.
Q: What are the consequences of doing nothing?
A: Cape Cod in general enjoys the lowest property tax rates in the state, and there are only four other Cape Cod towns with tax rates lower than Falmouth. A significant reason for this is tourism, drawn by the high quality of our coastal environment. By degrading the quality of this natural environment, we are inviting less tourism, lower property values, higher tax rates and more government intervention and control.
Q: What is Falmouths' plan for wastewater management?
A: In Nov 2006, the Town at the urging and help of FACES developed a Wastewater Vision and Strategy Statement. That statement was a step forward to implementing a town-wide strategy.
Q: What is the projected cost of an integrated wastewater solution for Falmouth?
A: In other towns with similar problems, projected costs for building sewers to solve the problem run to several hundred million dollars. The longer Falmouth waits, the costlier it will be!
Q: What are other Cape Cod towns doing?
A: Several other towns are developing town-wide plans to construct wastewater treatment plants that would reduce nitrogen to below the total maximum daily loads required to restore water quality and eelgrass in their estuaries. These plans are being developed with input from citizens and members of all town boards. So far, no town has built enough new treatment facilities to make a serious dent in the nitrogen pollution problem.
Q: Is there an overall Cape Cod plan and solution?
A: The Cape Cod Water Protection Collaborative has been formed to address the issue on a cape-wide basis. The Collaborative's goal is to coordinate and lobby for funding to implement regional solutions to sewage treatment and to assist town's that share common watersheds. The collaborative has representatives from all Cape towns and Falmouth's representative is Jack Barnes.
Q: Is FACES opposed to development in Falmouth?
A: No, FACES is very much in favor of controlled and sustainable development that ensures that Falmouth continues to be a place that our grandchildren will want to live in or visit. Part of sustainable development in Falmouth will be implementing measures to control nitrogen pollution of the town's estuaries by means of a town-wide comprehensive wastewater management plan.
Q: What are FACES long-term goals to preserve water quality in Falmouth?
A: First and foremost, to help town officials develop a comprehensive plan for the phase-in of increased sewage treatment. This will involve decisions about which neighborhoods around our estuaries should be upgraded with sewers first, and where sewage treatment will be added in the future. Secondly, to develop strategies for paying for increased sewering that is fair and predictable over time. Thirdly, to implement the long-term comprehensive wastewater management master plan.
Q: Does Cape Cod geology play a role in the nutrient problems?
A: Yes, the Cape is the product of massive glaciers that moved sand and gravel and boulders from the north and created the moraines and outwash plains of the Cape and Islands. The ponds are kettle holes resulting from blocks of ice left behind when the glaciers retreated and the elongate estuaries are "spring-sapping" valleys that formed by ground water flow and were later flooded by marine waters when the sea level rose. The result is that the Cape is much like a sponge and all of the surface water and ground water is closely connected. We depend on groundwater for domestic use but everything we put onto or into the ground ultimately makes its way through our sandy soils to our estuaries and then Buzzards Bay or Vineyard Sound.
Q. What is the Falmouth Friendly Lawn Campaign?
A: Falmouth Friendly Lawns is an educational campaign to encourage Falmouth residents to apply less nitrogen fertilizer to lawns, gardens and golf courses. FFL developed brochures for homeowners and now encourages businesses and institutions to join an "honor role" with a pledge to use less fertilizer.