It’s officially summer which usually means, extensive trips to area beaches. Beaches are what keep us refreshed, relaxed and cooled off. We have hundreds of beaches in and around New England and some of the best in the country right here in Massachusetts. If you’re planning on taking a trip to an area beach anytime soon, you should be aware of unusually high bacteria being found in some of them. Many of these beaches have been closed and are awaiting word of when they can reopen.
The reason for the closing has been listed as “high levels of bacteria.” So what does this really mean? Well, as nasty as it is to think about, human waste is one of those reasons. According to Clean Water Action state co-director Maureo Fernandez Y Mora “When it rains the sewage overflows back up and then we get sewage running into water sources.” The way these elevated levels of bacteria can be treated is by applying algicide and herbicide to the water.
When water quality is deemed “unsafe,” there must be a sign posted letting people know. When swimming in water that is deemed “unsafe,” several things can happen. You can get a fever, chills, diarrhea, vomiting and several other health issues. So swimming in these beaches while the bacteria is elevated is not safe and you should avoid at all costs. As to when these beaches will reopen, that has yet to be determined. You are prompted to keep checking your local town websites before taking any trip to area beaches. It would be a shame to pack up the car, cooler, kids etc. only to find out your favorite beach is closed. At last glance, these following beaches have been closed due to high bacteria levels. Keep checking back for updates daily.
