Admiral's Watch tug boat

ABOUT US

At Barnstable Clean Water Coalition (BCWC) our mission is to restore and preserve clean water throughout Barnstable.

With science as our foundation, BCWC utilizes four core components to accomplish our mission: educate, monitor, mitigate and advocate.

Excess nitrogen leaching from septic systems causes 80% of the nutrient pollution in our estuaries. Lawn fertilizer and storm water make up most of the balance. Our freshwater ponds are under attack from phosphates and contaminants of emerging concern; again, septic systems are the main culprit. These same sources threaten our precious sole source aquifer.

Cape Cod’s “Blue Economy” requires clear, clean water to power virtually all our recreational resources. Why else come here?

Clean drinking water is a necessity, yet this resource is threatened every day.

We must act now to restore our imperiled waters before we lose them forever.

Read on and please join BCWC’s Rescue Mission today!

What We Do

Our mission is plain and simple: Barnstable Clean Water Coalition (BCWC) works to restore and preserve clean water in Barnstable.

BCWC deploys science as its foundation to  educatemonitormitigate, and advocate for clean water throughout the Cape Cod town of Barnstable.

EDUCATE

Barnstable Clean Water Coalition (BCWC) believes education to be one of the pillars of successful community-based conservation. Regardless of age, BCWC aims to promote a culture of science literacy surrounding local environmental issues. The framework of our educational efforts strives to establish the direct correlation of the human action and associated environmental impact. We focus our educational goals towards classroom settings, community events, interacting and engaging the public while out doing field work, and promoting fundraising events to further the mission of BCWC.

MONITOR

For over 20 years, we have tracked water quality in marine embayments, as well as keeping a close eye on freshwater systems including ponds, streams, rivers and coves. By monitoring, we can then measure the quality of these water systems through comprehensive parameters and proven scientific methods that provide both qualitative and quantitative data. These data are shared with other science-based organizations, and provide the BCWC with a baseline to determine progress.

Measuring water quality through comprehensive, proven scientific methods provides data targeted for a strong and sustained ecological impact.

MITIGATE

Our small but intrepid team of engineers, scientists, seasonal help and interns implement and test innovative technologies including alternative septic systems, permeable reactive barriers, and nature-based treatment systems. We support municipal treatment projects. By utilizing solution-based initiatives in our mitigation program, we help combat excess nitrogen by using innovative technologies to clean the water.

Solutions-both traditional and new-to cleaning impaired waters in ponds, rivers and embayments exist through the diverse Massachusetts 208 Plan, named for Section 208 of the federal Clean Water Act. These technologies include aquaculture, which uses oysters to filter and purify water naturally, and Permeable Reactive Barriers (PRBs), which are underground walls that filter impurities from groundwater to combat nitrogen pollution. These are just a few of the innovative methods in which Barnstable Clean Water Coalition is engaged.

ADVOCATE

We believe an informed electorate represents our best collective opportunity for consensus on water quality, and restoring and preserving our priceless water supply for drinking, and for swimmers, boaters, fishing enthusiasts and other outdoor recreational users. As issues warrant and crises develop, we will advocate for regulatory changes to address water quality issues of relevance in the Town of Barnstable.

Because we all have a responsibility to preserve our watershed, we will be the strongest voice for clean water while identifying issues affecting clean water.

Board of Directors

Barnstable Clean Water Coalition is led by a diverse and talented corps of community leaders committed to the vision and mission of this non-profit organization.

Barnstable Clean Water Coalition
864 Main Street
PO Box 215
Osterville MA 02655

Phone: 508-420-0780
Fax: 508-420-4489
Email: info@bcleanwater.org

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