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Feb 04, 2024

'Warning, bacteria level unsafe': The rain is gone, but sewage runoff lingers in rivers, beaches

By Christina Hager Updated on: August 2, 2023 / 8:10 AM / CBS Boston BOSTON - Even though Tuesday's weather felt like a perfect 10, the summer's huge amount of rain still haunted people enjoying the

By Christina Hager

Updated on: August 2, 2023 / 8:10 AM / CBS Boston

BOSTON - Even though Tuesday's weather felt like a perfect 10, the summer's huge amount of rain still haunted people enjoying the Charles River in Boston. Signs on the Esplanade warn people that sewage has contaminated the water.

"I mean, look, it looks pristine and gorgeous, so that's disheartening," said Theresa Adams, out for a bike ride with her family.

According to the Charles River Watershed Association, last weekend's rain pushed enough sewage into the Charles to fill 500 tanker trucks.

"All sorts of human pathogens, so there's viruses, there's bacterial contamination," said Max Rome, who's in charge of the organization's storm water program.

The same situation is contaminating King's Beach in Lynn, which was marked with red flags and yellow caution tape Tuesday.

At the entrance to the same beach in Swampscott, a sign says "Warning, bacteria level unsafe."

"I love swimming. I would go in there," said Debbie Garafolo, who sat on the sand, a safe distance from the waves.

"I would like to see the infrastructure upgraded to eliminate the sewage coming up," said Amanda Borroughs, a Lynn resident who's part of a Facebook group created to spread awareness about the problem.

Back on the Charles, the Watershed Association is pushing for more green infrastructure to help absorb storm runoff. Max Rome says features like "rain gardens" and "tree trenches" have worked in other cities.

He suggested another investment that would also help.

"A big box culvert or micro tunnels; those are projects that would cost between 30 and 60 million dollars," he said. "I think the juxtaposition of this incredible bucolic amazing river resource with active sewage contamination is something that we should all be outraged about."

Christina Hager is an Emmy Award-winning investigative reporter with the I-Team at WBZ-TV News. She has spent more than two decades covering major breaking news events across the country, including extensive daily coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.

First published on August 1, 2023 / 7:47 PM

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