Protect. Preserve. Restore.
Advocacy
FWS is the “Voice for Water” within the Town of Falmouth and the Upper Cape
- Advocated for cleanup of the groundwater pollution emanating from Joint Base Cape Cod (formerly Massachusetts Military Reservation)
- Advocated for passage of the Cape Cod Land Bank, which provided key funding for land protection that protects water quality.
- Created the Falmouth Friendly Lawn campaign, a widely-recognized effort among homeowners, landscapers and nurseries to employ water-friendly and low-nitrogen lawn care practices.
- Advocated for long-term land stewardship of 22,000 acres at Joint Base Cape Cod, which sits on top of the Sagamore Groundwater Lens that supplies Falmouth’s fresh water.
- Advocated for an upgrade the Falmouth Wastewater Plant to tertiary treatment, which reduced the nitrogen outflow from the plant by more than 10-fold.
- Advocated for creation of a Town-wide Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan, which created a long-term roadmap for treating wastewater, which is the number one source of nitrogen pollution to Falmouth’s coastal waters.
- Advocated for passage of a Falmouth Fertilizer By-law that specifies guidelines for amounts and timing of fertilizer use to make lawn care more compatible with water protection.
- Advocated for construction of a drinking water filtration plant which reduced the amount of chlorine needed for Falmouth’s drinking water and improve drinking water appearance and taste.
- Advocated for expansion of centralized wastewater treatment for the Little Pond Watershed.
“Drought, the Aquifer, and Falmouth’s Water Supply”
On Wednesday, October 28, 2026, Falmouth Water Stewards hosted a panel on how the year-long drought has affected the aquifer and Falmouth’s water supply. As of November 2026, Cape Cod remains in a Level 2 Significant Drought despite two substantial rainstorms in the past month. Speakers discussed their perspectives and responsibilities concerning water management and drought conditions. The Falmouth Enterprise had an excellent summary of the meeting.
The panelists were:
- Matt Lanen, Falmouth Water Superintendent
- Mark Forest, Barnstable County Commissioner
- Duane LeVangie, MA Department of Environmental Protection
- Heather McElroy, Cape Cod Commission
Powerpoints from the Meeting
Cape Cod Water Supply and
Aquifer Protection
Heather McElroy, Cape Cod Commission
Duane LeVangie, MassDEP
Matthew P. Lanen, Falmouth Water Superintendent
