To the editor:

Wareham has always had clean water. I can remember as a child swimming all day in White Island Pond, and going out fishing in a rowboat. We drank water from our well, the same water that flows into White Island Pond. Clean water for swimming, fishing and drinking, was something we took for granted.

But we can’t take it for granted any longer. Wareham’s water is not as clean as it once was. 

Keeping land undeveloped protects water. Forests filter and clean rainwater. Trees cool water before it gets to ponds and rivers, helping support dissolved oxygen levels. Tree roots regulate the nitrogen and phosphorus in soil. Soil acts as a check and balance for bacteria populations.

The Planning Board is looking at several projects that will cut down approximately 317 acres of forest if they go through. This could put a lot of our clean water at risk. 

This area is known for its clean water. But we have to protect it now, because if we don’t, we won’t have clean water to drink, fish, and swim. Please contact the Planning Board to tell them how important it is to protect our water.

Keep Wareham Wild.

Katherine Harrelson