DANNY. WELL, REVERE BEACH ACTUALLY FARED PRETTY WELL IN THAT ANNUAL WATER QUALITY REPORT CARD, BUT SOME OTHER BEACHES ARE STILL STRUGGLING WITH THEIR BACTERIA LEVELS. IT’S A PERFECT DAY. I MEAN, I’M HOPING TO SWIM. I DON’T KNOW IF SHE’S GOING TO, BUT DEPENDING ON THE WATER TEMPERATURE, LUCKILY THE SWIMMERS DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE WATER QUALITY WITH SAVE THE HARBOR, SAVE THE BAY RELEASING THEIR SAFETY RATING REPORT CARD ON 15 METROPOLITAN BEACHES. WE REALLY CONSIDER IT A SUCCESS STORY TO THIS DAY. EXPERTS MEASURED HOW MUCH BACTERIA MADE IT INTO THE WATER. ANYTHING OVER 100 COLONY FORMING UNITS IS UNSAFE TO SWIM IN 80% OR HIGHER WAS WHAT WE WANTED TO GET TO, AND WE’RE AT 90% OR HIGHER FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE BEACHES. TWO BEACHES THAT DIDN’T MAKE THAT THRESHOLD ARE TENEAN BEACH IN DORCHESTER AND KINGS BEACH IN LYNN. BOTH HAVE BODIES OF WATER THAT EMPTY RIGHT INTO THE HARBOR THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO KEEP BACTERIA OUT. BUT ANDREA AMORE WITH SAVE KINGS BEACH SAYS A SOLUTION IS OUT THERE. WE JUST HAVE TO CONTINUE DEVOTING RESOURCES AND TIME AND MONEY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT SOLUTION IS. THERE CAN ACTUALLY BE A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT JUMP IN WATER QUALITY FROM YEAR TO YEAR. HERE AT REVERE BEACH, THERE WAS NEARLY A 10% JUMP BETWEEN 2022 AND 2023, AND EXPERTS SAY IT HAS TO DO WITH FACTORS OUTSIDE OF THEIR CONTROL. WHEN YOU GET A HARD RAINFALL, IT’LL FLUSH OUT THOSE STORMWATER SYSTEMS, JUST STUFF THAT’S GATHERING. IT SITS IN THE PIPES, THE RAIN FLUSHES IT OUT AND YOU GET ONE DAY OF LIKE, MAYBE A LITTLE SPIKE. THOSE STORM DRAINS ARE OBVIOUSLY A HUGE REASON AS TO WHY BACTERIA LEVELS COULD RISE IN THESE WATERS. THEY WERE ACTUALLY REMOVED IN THOSE SOUTH BOSTON BEACHES, AND NOW THOSE BEACHES ARE CONSIDERED SOME OF THE CLEANEST URBAN BEACHES IN THE COUNTRY. WE’
Annual report grades water quality at Boston-area beaches, from Lynn to Hull
With the weather warming up, it’s almost time to hit the beach and an annual report from a water quality watchdog finds that most in the Boston area have clean water, most of the time. Boston’s Pleasure Bay and City Point beaches earned top marks on the water quality report for 15 metropolitan beaches issued Monday by Save the Harbor, Save the Bay. Those two also earned 100% average safety rating over the past six years, the organization said.Only two area beaches received water quality ratings of under 76%, Tenean in Boston and King’s in Lynn. The assessments are based on how much bacteria from fecal matter make it into the water. There are always some bacteria present in the natural environment, but anything over 100 colony-forming units is unsafe for swimming.”90% to 100% of the time, these beaches are 10 or lower,” said Chris Mancini, executive director of Save the Harbor, Save the Bay.Mancini said his organization considers the positive report card for most beaches to be a “success story.”
With the weather warming up, it’s almost time to hit the beach and an annual report from a water quality watchdog finds that most in the Boston area have clean water, most of the time.
Boston’s Pleasure Bay and City Point beaches earned top marks on the water quality report for 15 metropolitan beaches issued Monday by Save the Harbor, Save the Bay. Those two also earned 100% average safety rating over the past six years, the organization said.
Only two area beaches received water quality ratings of under 76%, Tenean in Boston and King’s in Lynn.
The assessments are based on how much bacteria from fecal matter make it into the water. There are always some bacteria present in the natural environment, but anything over 100 colony-forming units is unsafe for swimming.
“90% to 100% of the time, these beaches are 10 or lower,” said Chris Mancini, executive director of Save the Harbor, Save the Bay.
Mancini said his organization considers the positive report card for most beaches to be a “success story.”
