Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund

Overview
Subsidy Awards
Meeting Links

Overview

The Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund (CCIWPF) was established by the Massachusetts Legislature in 2018 to help Cape Cod and Islands towns pay for necessary wastewater infrastructure and water quality remediation projects. Creation of the CCIWPF was the result of efforts by a diverse set of stakeholders, including the Cape and Islands Legislative Delegation, local officials, environmental groups, business leaders, and the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, who recognized the need for new financial tools to address the region’s degrading water quality and lack of wastewater infrastructure.

The CCIWPF is a dedicated fund within the state’s Clean Water Trust set up to solely benefit communities on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket. Its source of revenue is a 2.75% excise tax on traditional lodging and short-term rentals. The fund is administered by the existing Clean Water Trust and overseen by a management board comprised of representation from every member town from the region. Currently, the 15 Cape Cod communities are members of the fund.

Bylaws and Regulations

Subsidies Awarded

The Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund Management Board votes to award subsidies to qualified and eligible water quality projects. Projects in excess of $1 million will receive subsidies equal to 25% of the project costs. Projects of $1 million or less will receive 50% subsidies.

Projects eligible for funding include innovative strategies and alternative septic system technologies, water quality and wastewater management planning, the construction of sewer collection systems and wastewater treatment plants, and the implementation of drainage improvements and water treatment programs to improve water quality in freshwater ponds and marine resources. Member communities must go through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, or SRF, program to receive funds.

Final Commitments For Intended Use Plans Projects

TOWN	IUP Year	Description	Project Cost	Total Subsidy
Chatham	2018	Phase 1D – Chatham/Harwich Regionalization	$8,174,858	$2,043,715
Chatham	2019	Sewer Extension	$1,324,983	$331,246
Harwich	2018	Harwich Sewer Collection System – Phase 2	$22,214,467	$5,553,617
Bourne	2019	Buzzards Bay Wastewater Treatment Facility	$4,660,410	$1,165,103
Orleans	2019	Downtown Area Collection System and Wastewater Treatment Facility	$59,409,200	$14,852,300
Barnstable	2020	Wastewater Pump Station Improvements Project	$1,226,751	$306,688
Barnstable	2020	Strawberry Hill Road Sewer Expansion	$12,289,531	$3,072,383
Barnstable	2020	Route 28 and Yarmouth Road Intersection Sewer	$1,731,512	$432,878
Barnstable	2020	Solids Handling Upgrade Project	$11,313,805	$2,828,451
Barnstable	2021	*Wastewater Pump Station Improvements	$2,761,225	$483,214
Chatham	2021	*Chatham Queen Anne Pumping Station Upgrade 2021 PE	$2,818,173	$448,909
Chatham	2021	*Chatham Stormwater Improvement Projects - 2021	$3,598,348	$629,711
Barnstable	2021	*Route 28 East Sewer Expansion Project	$19,926,176	$3,134,559
Mashpee	2021	*Mashpee WRRF and Collection System - Phase I	$53,958,000	$9,097,900
		Totals	$205,407,439	$44,380,674

Contingent Commitments For Intended Use Plans Projects

TOWN	IUP Year	Description	Project Cost	Total Subsidy
Barnstable	2022	*Wastewater Pump Station Replacement Project	$5,540,000	$761,750
Chatham	2022	*Chatham Stage Harbor (1C-5/1E-2) Sewer Extension	$11,010,500	$1,513,944
Chatham	2022	*Chatham Mill Pond Pumping Station Upgrade	$2,268,000	$311,850
Falmouth	2022	*Falmouth WWTF TASA Improvements	$20,000,000	$2,750,000
Orleans	2022	*Meetinghouse Pond Area Collection System and PS	$32,906,000	$4,524,575
Barnstable	2023	FY24-25 BWPCF Improvements	$6,121,800	$1,530,450
Barnstable	2023	Park City Wind Route Sewer Expansion	$30,900,000	$7,725,000
Barnstable	2023	2023 Wastewater Pump Station Improvements	$3,320,000	$830,000
Barnstable	2023	Sewer Extension and Vacuum Sewer Removal	$1,120,000	$280,000
Chatham	2023	WPCF Sludge Processing Upgrades	$5,000,000	$1,250,000
Harwich	2023	Harwich Phase 3 Sewer Extension	$41,900,410	$10,475,103
Harwich	2023	Harwich Rt 28 Sewer Construction Project	$8,099,590	$2,024,898
Mashpee	2023	Phase 1 Treatment and Collection System	$12,000,000	$3,000,000
Wellfleet	2023	95 Lawrence Wastewater Treatment and Collection	$6,309,000	$1,577,250
Wellfleet	2023	Wellfleet Enhanced I&A Septic System Program	$3,000,000	$750,000
Yarmouth	2023	Phase I - WRRF and Collection System	$50,000,000	$12,500,000
		Totals	$239,495,300	$51,804,820

* Subsidies from the Water Protection Fund have been reduced for 2021 and 2022 IUP projects from 25% to 10%, to reflect an additional 15% subsidy from the Clean Water Trust using American Rescue Plan Act funds. The original commitment to the Towns for a 25% subsidy for these projects remains unchanged despite the sourcing of the funds to provide that 25% subsidy.

Pre-Existing Debt

The CCIWPF Management Board is allowed to award subsidies on pre-existing debt town projects, subject to certain eligibility and verification requirements. The towns of Barnstable, Chatham, Falmouth, and Provincetown had qualifying projects totaling $45.6 million, 25% of which will be subsidized through the fund, per the unanimous vote of the Management Board.

TOWN	Project Cost	Total Subsidy
Provincetown	$14,981,202	$3,745,301
Barnstable	$4,842,300	$1,210,575
Chatham	$24,606,410	$6,151,603
Falmouth	$7,675,200	$1,918,800
Totals	$52,105,112	$13,026,279

At its January 11, 2022 meeting, the Board awarded subsidies for additional authorized pre-existing debt in the amounts of $1,478,010 for Provincetown, pending loan issuance and closure, and $803,750 for Chatham, as show below:

TOWN	Project Cost	Status	Potential Subsidy
Provincetown	$1,651,000	Pending Loan Closure	$1,478,010
	$2,486,000	Pending Loan Closure
	$1,775,041	Pending Issuance
Chatham	$1,850,000	Closed 5/27/2021	$803,750
	$235,000	Closed 5/27/2021
	$1,130,000	Closed 5/27/2021

Page updated 6/15/2023