Want to Cool Off? Do NOT Go To Any Of These Massachusetts Beaches
Believe it or not, there are still several Massachusetts beaches still closed due to high bacteria levels. This is most certainly an inconvenience seeing as this week in particular will be a very hot one. Meteorologists are predicting highs in the mid 90s on Thursday and Friday which will be some of the highest temperatures so far this summer. If you’re planning on going to the beach, you need to keep reading to ensure you don’t end up at one that has been closed due to high bacteria levels.
Now what is causing these high bacteria levels is still unclear. From what is being reported,the heavy rainfall we have experienced lately has caused flooding and contamination. What’s worse, is that swimming in contaminated water can cause everything from respiratory issues, to rashes to gastrointestinal problems. These beaches are among the ones still closed as of the weekend: Beverly, Boston, Braintree, Chatham, Danvers, Duxbury, Eastham, Framingham, Gloucester, Ipswich, Lynn, Mashpee, Milton, Nantucket, Newburyport, Salem, Salisbury, Saugus, Swampscott, Swansea, Templeton, Wareham, Winchester, Winthrop and Worcester.
What is being done to clean up Massachusetts beaches? There is currently an organization called COASTSWEEP. COASTSWEEP is a statewide annual beach cleanup organized by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management. They are currently accepting volunteers and if you’d like to volunteer your time, you can click HERE. Common items found on beaches include cigarette butts, plastic pieces, water bottles, bottle caps and food wrappers.
To keep yourself updated on the most current status of your favorite beach, you can go to the Mass.gov website. This website is updated daily and will be your most reliable and up to date destination for beach closures. If you want to know the latest as of Monday morning, July 24th, keep scrolling. Just make sure you definitely plan ahead!