This past Tuesday, voters in Orleans approved the wastewater funding by a two to one majority. By all accounts, Orleans is committed to ramp up its efforts and finally take action to address our wastewater challenges.

On Wednesday, it was clear the town had already begun to act. The Orleans Water Quality Advisory Panel heard from Mike Domenica and AECOM about their goals and plans for the next seven months. Our engineering teams are continuing with the financial projections, completing a 25% design for a new treatment plant, extending our aquaculture demonstration projects in Lonnie’s Pond and other areas, preparing to launch a permeable reactive barrier at Eldredge Park and another at the landfill, and, finally preparing to launch our initial effort to address our freshwater ponds. >> CONTINUE READING

I was sure we were moving forward and went looking for the perfect photograph. Bright yellow daffodils? Forsythia? Perhaps dandelions or hawkweed, giving me a reason to be proud of my neglected, fertilizer and pesticide-free lawn? Not to be. It’s been snowing for the past two days and today’s temperature is in the 20s. This week’s been tough. I’ll keep the snowy photograph.

Despite this, I’m confident spring will return next week. Within the Orleans Pond Coalition, I’m seeing a burst of activity. We’re re-energizing our focus on our ponds, and you’ll hear more about that over the coming months. We’re reminding people to cut back on fertilizer and pesticides. We’re preparing Ponderings to send out to our members and everyone in town. Our board members are returning from their amazing trips around the world, although, for some reason, a few seem to be heading back out again.  >> CONTINUE READING

 

 

This special edition of the Orleans Pond Coalition’s Bulletin is brought to you on behalf of the Orleans Water Quality Advisory Panel. It summarizes the panel’s recent meeting on January 20, where AECOM presented quite a bit of material on their effort. It also lists several meetings scheduled for this month, including two this week on the downtown planning effort.  >> CONTINUE READING

 

Winter’s finally arrived and those of us wintering on the Cape are in the unusual position of watching our southern friends and family struggle with two feet of snow while we escaped the wrath of Jonas. Hopefully, they’ll dig themselves out, their roads will clear, and everyone will be safe. No doubt, we’ll have our chance sooner than we know it. >> CONTINUE READING

This issue covers:

• New Officers & Board of Directors
• Wastewater
• Water Water Everywhere
• OPC Pond Proection
• Celebrate Our Waters
• & More

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