When it comes to protecting Cape Cod’s water, the differences in this County Commissioner race are becoming clear.
Dan Gessen believes we should build the infrastructure needed to accommodate additional growth. His approach is to expand sewer systems, upgrade wastewater treatment, and invest public dollars to support both housing production and environmental protection.
Gessen likes gimmicks – like his debt forgiveness program for septic systems.
Ron Bergstrom largely supports the current County approach. More planning. More studies. More regional programs. More wastewater investment. The idea is that careful management can balance growth and environmental protection.
Bergstrom is long on studies and short on actual protections.
I take a different view.
Cape Cod’s aquifer is not a political talking point. It is our sole source of drinking water. Before we approve more growth, more density, and more development, we should ask a simple question:
Can our water resources support it?
If the answer is no, then the growth should wait.
What’s striking is that Barnstable County’s proposed FY2027 budget continues to fund water-quality programs, wastewater planning, and environmental management, but appears to contain no dedicated program for measuring the Cape’s overall carrying capacity. They’ve never studied it.
We spend millions studying water quality after development occurs. How much are we spending to determine how much development our aquifer can actually support before permits are issued?
That should concern every resident of Cape Cod.
Protecting our water is not about managing the consequences of overdevelopment. It is about preventing them in the first place.
Water is not just another issue on Cape Cod.
It is the issue.