cyanobacteria

The state monitors bacteria levels at ponds, beaches and lakes across the state. How often does your favorite Cape and Islands swimming spot fail state water quality testing?

The Association to Preserve Cape Cod is in the midst of a three-year monitoring program.

Forget the era of volunteers getting water quality data every five days. Data loggers are collecting information every 10 minutes.

The Association to Preserve Cape Cod released its fifth annual State of the Waters report. Along with assessment data, it urges towns to take advantage of funding for infrastructure to address the primary cause of poor water quality: nitrogen pollution from stormwater runoff, fertilizers, and septic systems.

More intense storms, rising sea levels, toxic algae blooms, and other environmental crises are making it harder for tribes to practice their culture and to pass it on.

Experts are warning that many more ponds could be closed this summer compared to past years, that’s because toxic blue-green algae blooms seem to be getting worse: affecting more ponds, for longer periods.

Officials with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection on Wednesday finalized regulations designed to incentivize towns to obtain a Watershed Permit, which can be earned by designing and implementing 20-year wastewater solutions. Each town is expected to tailor its plans to the needs of the community and individual watersheds.In towns that obtain the permit, homeowners could avoid a seven-year requirement to upgrade or replace their septic systems, which can cost more than $25,000.

Exposure to toxic algae blooms has been known to cause skin irritation, stomach problems, headaches and worse.

Newly proposed septic rules that could require thousands of Cape Cod homeowners to upgrade or replace their septic systems in the next five years sparked heated debate last night at a virtual public meeting.

The Association to Preserve Cape Cod (APCC) released its fourth annual "State of the Waters" report this week. It shows water quality has declined on the Cape — again.