New Financing is Boosting Wastewater Treatment

What has long loomed as an existential threat to the economy and vibrancy of Cape Cod—septic-system pollution and runoff that ruins our bays, rivers, and lakes—is a challenge Cape communities can meet and are meeting with affordable, sustainable new cleanup initiatives.

That’s the inspiring lesson Cape Codders can and should take from several pieces of great news this spring.

Mashpee town meeting voters on May 3 unanimously approved $54 million for the first phase of a town wastewater treatment and sewer system that won’t require any local tax increases. Similarly, without requiring additional taxes, Orleans last year launched construction of its $38 million wastewater treatment plant, connecting to a $21 million new network of sewers in the heart of town.

Those moves came after Falmouth successfully connected hundreds of homes in its Little Pond and Maravista neighborhoods to new municipal sewers, in projects that came in on time and under budget. Harwich’s sewer system, which connects to Chatham’s recently enhanced wastewater treatment plant, is also well underway.

For years, progress on reversing the Cape’s waterquality crisis was halting, at best, and marked by more litigation than construction, more angst than action.

What’s changed decisively in the last years is the availability of new funding streams that don’t rely on additional property taxes, along with many examples of nimble and taxpayer-friendly financial thinking by local officials.

Key to getting the Mashpee and Orleans projects underway has been the 2019 launch of the Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund (WPF). Coupled with the expansion of the hotel/motel tax to home rentals, the WPF is funded by a 2.75 percent excise tax on short term rentals and traditional hotel/B&B overnight stays. It ensures that visitors to the Cape who contribute to demand for clean water and the need for wastewater treatment pay, alongside Cape residents, their fair share of what it costs to achieve those important objectives.

The WPF represents a truly elegant solution: The very thing that makes Cape Cod so attractive to continued on page 19

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Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund in place and towns gaining experience in sustainvisitors–our bays and beaches and rivers and lakes able funding approaches that local taxpayers can and ponds–and has been so threatened by intense afford, Cape Cod is taking control of its destiny. levels of use, visitors are now helping pay to pro- Working together, we’re addressing the crisis and tect. The fund is now generating tens of millions of building a brighter and cleaner future for every residollars annually to help towns pay for water protec- dent, visitor, and business owner on our uniquely tion and taking significant pressure off Cape Cod beautiful peninsula home. taxpayers to solve the clean-water crisis. Reprinted from Commonwealth Magazine.

The WPF recently awarded $71 million to eight Written by Wendy Northcross, CEO of the Cape Cape towns, effectively providing $71 million in lo- Cod Chamber of Commerce, Andrew Gottlieb, cal property tax relief to those towns. Executive Director of the Association to Preserve

Also proving key are the availability of zero- Cape Cod and a Mashpee selectman, and Jeff interest loans from the Massachusetts Water Trust Mahoney, Executive Director of the Utility Contracand growing examples of innovative fiscal thinking Boston Area tors Association of New England (UCANE). n by local Cape officials. Locations Mashpee town leaders, for example, helped secure overwhelming support for their clean Boston 2 Dext Everett, Area er Str MA 0 e 2 e 1 t 49 Boston Area water work by proposing that Locat431 Sec ionsond Street Locations Town Meeting reduce the Community Preservation Act levy in 2 Dexte Everett r , Street MA 021 2 49 Dexter Street the town by one percent while Everett, MA 021 Eve49 rett, MA 02149 creating a new Water Infrastructure Investment Fund to make the 431 Second Stre 43et 1 Second Street project work financially and politically. (When, by the way, was the last time you heard of a MasEverett, MA 02149Everett, MA 02149 BOSTON AREA LOCATIONS 2 Dexter Street Everett, MA 02149 431 Second Street Everett, MA 02149 100 Fremont Street Worcester, MA 01603 sachusetts town meeting voting unanimously … for anything?)

Yarmouth voters on Tuesday approved by a 76 percent vote a 0.78 percent local tax surcharge for a Water Infrastructure Investment Fund—a $39-a-year increase for a homeowner with a $5,000 annual tax bill, also partially offset by a CPA levy reduction—that will help Yarmouth Minichiello Bros./Scrap-It, Inc., Minichiello Bros./Scrap-It, Inc. complete critically needed cleanServes over 2500 customers a week and is one New England's largest buyers, Serves over 2500 customers a week and is one of New England’s largest water and wastewater treatment projects. sellers and processors of scrap metal. For over 60 years our goal has remained the same - to provide the best prices in the industry along with top notch customer service! Call Fred Rogers at 617-595-5505 buyers, sellers, and processors of scrap metal. For over 60 years our goal has remained the same - to provide the best prices in the industry along with top notch customer service! Call Fred Rogers at 617-595-5505

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