SANDWICH – A large federal grant has been awarded to Sandwich to help keep the town’s coastal waters clean.
Assistant Town Engineer Sam Jensen said it was good news for Sandwich.
“The town was awarded $955,000 to help treat storm water that’s flowing into Sandwich Harbor and the Mill Creek, Old Harbor area,” he said.
The first of the work’s three phases will commence at the Town Neck Beach parking lot when the weather gets warmer.
Sandwich will still have to kick in $298,000 for the work, but may receive an additional grant from the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Management to help defray that amount.
Jensen points out that an activity, which is done for both business and recreation, served as a major concern. “This project will involve construction of sub-surface infiltration, such as leaching chambers within roads and parking lots, in order to remove contaminants before they reach the shellfish growing areas,” Jensen said.
The biggest contaminant contributors are automobiles and their fluids, including motor oil.
The Cape Cod Conservation District, who put forth the application for several federal grants, has also secured money for coastal restoration in Mashpee, Falmouth, and Bourne.
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