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Freshwater Ponds Committee <br />Minutes <br />June 10,2025 <br />nitrogen treatment technology. The town has also secured funding through the <br />Southeast New England Program (SNEP) under the EPA, with strong support <br />from the tribe. Contracts are in place, and all funds are secured. <br />The nutrient activation treatment project for Santuit Pond will take a two- <br />phase approach. The team is currently working with SNEP on permitting, and <br />while the specific treatment product has not been finalized, aluminum sulfate is <br />being considered. <br /> <br />Ashumet Pond <br />Efforts to manage nutrient pollution in Ashumet Pond focus on aluminum <br />sulfate treatments. Aluminum sulfate, often called alum, is used in ponds to <br />reduce phosphorus levels and control algae growth, particularly harmful <br />cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). When applied to the water, alum binds with <br />dissolved phosphorus to form aluminum phosphate, an insoluble compound that <br />settles to the bottom, effectively locking phosphorus in the sediments and <br />preventing it from fueling algae blooms. This process also reduces internal <br />loading—the release of phosphorus from nutrient-rich sediments—by creating a <br />stable layer on the pond bottom that traps phosphorus over time. As a result, <br />alum treatments can improve water clarity and promote overall pond health by <br />limiting excessive algae growth. <br />Phase 1 treatments includes Alum dosing, permitting and water quality <br />monitoring. Phase 2 is for the treatment itself. <br />JBCC has generously funded 50% of the dosing assessment and <br />treatments and is exploring the installation of PFAS treatment units on Sandwich <br />Road. These units extract contaminated groundwater and return treated water <br />back underground. <br />PFAS contamination is an emerging concern. JBCC has accumulated <br />extensive data on Ashumet Pond through years of testing, and the <br />Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) is conducting ongoing PFAS <br />testing in the pond and at nearby Johns Pond. Due to concerns about <br />recreational water use, testing frequency has increased, and the town is actively <br />engaging with DPH. <br />Johns Pond <br />Johns Pond remains one of the least studied ponds in Mashpee, and the <br />committee is advocating for a new assessment and diagnostic study to guide <br />future management. While there is a historic study available, it is outdated and <br />not suitable for current management decisions; this document will be uploaded to <br />the town website for reference. <br />A major ongoing effort is the river restoration project, focused on repairing <br />failed berms near Moody Ponds and controlling PFAS contamination. The <br /> <br />