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Back to the Beaches 

Thanks to the strong advocacy of The Boston Harbor Association in 1993, $30 million was appropriated by the State Legislature for the Department of Conservation and Recreation's "Back to the Beaches" program to restore and enhance Boston Harbor Beaches. TBHA's on-going work with the MDC, the cities of Boston and Quincy, and community residents and groups has resulted in the tremendous restoration of Boston Harbor Beaches including new sand on beaches, new and/or restored bathhouses, benches, shade shelters, body and foot showers, walkways, landscaping, and much more. TBHA has played a significant role in the "Back to the Beaches" campaign since its inception, including helping develop a detailed report and recommendations for water quality improvements at Wollaston Beach in Quincy, an educational campaign to get the public to utilize the MBTA system to the beaches, co-sponsoring of "Back to the Beaches" summer weekend events, advocacy with state agencies to facilitate capital spending, and educating the public about the revitalization of Boston Beaches.
 

Water Quality at Boston Harbor Beaches

Water quality at Boston Harbor Beaches has improved dramatically over the past decade due to the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority's Boston Harbor Project and water and sewer projects being implemented by the Boston Water and Sewer Commission. These projects are eliminating long-time bacteria problems associated with wastewater discharged into Boston Harbor. The number of days that beaches are closed due to water quality issues has continued to decline. Last year, most Boston Harbor Beaches met swimming standards over 90% of the time.

To continue to monitor water quality, Boston Harbor Beaches already have the most comprehensive water quality sampling program for beaches in the country, with samples collected at least weekly at each beach. The water quality testing program includes daily testing at some of Boston's most used beaches, including Carson, Constitution, Tenean, Wollaston, Savin Hill, M Street, and Pleasure Bay.

Water quality flags at Boston Harbor Beaches let swimmers know when the waters are swimmable. Blue flags indicate good swimming conditions, and red flags indicate a potential water quality problem. Swimming is discouraged for 24 hours after a red flag posting or after a rainstorm of a half-inch or more. The Boston Metro newspaper provides an abbreviated beaches update every Friday, based on information provided by The Boston Harbor Association, from MDC sampling data. The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority and the Department of Conservation and Recreation also maintain websites with updated daily water conditions:

 

Boston Harbor Beach Descriptions

More information about specific Harbor beaches can be found below.
Check Back for daily water conditions at Boston Harbor
Beaches during the summer of 2004.

Winthrop Beaches
Short Beach
Donovan's Beach
Yirrell Beach
South Boston Beaches
Pleasure Bay Beach &
Castle Island
L & M Street Beaches
Carson Beach
Quincy Beaches
Nickerson Beach
Wollaston Beach
 
East Boston Beaches
Constitution Beach
Dorchester Beaches
Savin Hill / Malibu
Beaches
Tenean Beach
Boston Harbor Island
Beaches
Lovell's Island Beach

Other MDC Beaches
Revere Beach

 

Working Port

Education Programs

HarborWalk

Boston Harbor Beaches

Marine Debris Cleanup Project
 

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TBHA Policy Positions
Policy commentary summaries are available online.

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The Boston Harbor Association   -   374 Congress Street, Suite 609   -   Boston, MA 02210   -   617-482-1722 (P)   -   617-482-9750 (F)   -   mail@tbha.org