COURTESY OF THE BREWSTER PONDS COALITION
Elbow Pond choked with pond plants.
BREWSTER – Residents of Brewster can attend a public forum today on proposed changes aimed at improving water quality in lakes and ponds in town.
The current jurisdiction from the Board of Health regarding septic systems near ponds allows for 300 feet of buffer space between the system and water.
Proposed changes would target excess nutrients escaping into ponds by reducing that distance to 100 feet for properties located at a down-gradient to water. Up-gradient properties would remain at 300 feet.
Town Planner Sue Leven said around 85 properties have some portion of their system located within the buffer zone.
“They may have some impact depending on the age and location of their septic tank and leaching field,” she said.
The nonprofit Brewster Pond Coalition said the town has more acreage of ponds than any other Cape Cod town.
Existing leaching fields would have to be repaired to meet best management standards at their next inspection.
An atlas is available on the town’s website for residents to determine if their home is on a down- or up-gradient.
The forum takes place at 10:30 a.m. today at Town Hall.
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