Yarmouth Stormwater Project to Boost Water Quality

Sunset at Grays Beach in Yarmouth

YARMOUTH – A local environmental official highlighted a stormwater assessment that will boost water quality in Yarmouth and help reduce beach closures.

Association to Preserve Cape Cod Executive Director Andrew Gottlieb said his groupwill work with Yarmouth to identify sites that are contributing stormwater to waterways and select locations for “green infrastructure.”

“What we’re doing is capturing the stormwater off the sides of the roads and ways to the water before it reaches the water and running it through a natural treatment system,” he said.

Gottlieb added the treatment system is a series of planted areas with native plantings that take the nutrients out of stormwater.

“It prevents the nutrients from flowing unutilized into the water where they would make noxious plants grow in the water column,” Gottlieb said.

The water would also go through a soil system that allows for sand and grit to precipitate out of the water.

Gottlieb explained why the process of taking the nutrients and sediments out of the water is beneficial.

“So that it looks more like natural rainwater and it provides healthy recharge to these water bodies instead of being a source of additional pollutants,” he said.  

Yarmouth recently received $82,000 for the stormwater assessment from a state grant.

Gottlieb also said they plan to work with the town on managing the project and assisting with site selection.

“We’re hopeful that this diagnostic part will then lead to the selections of really good sites for installation of treatment alternatives going forward,” he said.

Listen to the full Sunday Journal interview with Andrew Gottlieb.  

By Brian Engles, CapeCod.com NewsCenter

About Brian Engles

Brian Engles is a longtime local of the Cape. He studied Film & TV at Boston University and in addition to his role at Cape Cod Broadcasting Media, he also works as a music instructor and records original songs.



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