19 beaches are closed in Massachusetts this weekend due to bacteria. Here's where
After the heat wave in Massachusetts this week, you may be in the mood to spend a day at the beach this weekend.
However, if you're planning a weekend beach trip, you'll want to avoid the beaches closed due to unsafe swimming water. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) states that swimming in the water at these closed beaches poses a threat of illness due to high levels of bacteria. Symptoms of water-borne illness can range from nausea and vomiting to a sore throat and fever, or even rashes and infections.
Heading into this weekend, 19 Massachusetts beaches are closed. Here's the full list.
The following MA beaches, listed by town, are closed as of Friday, June 27:
Andover: Pomps Pond (Bacterial Exceedance)
Ashby: Damon Pond Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
Ashland: Ashland Reservoir Main Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
Ayer: Ayer Town Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
Bourne: Patuisset (Bacterial Exceedance)
Brewster: Upper Mill Pond (Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom)
Danvers: Sandy Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
Framingham: Waushakum Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
Manchester:
Magnolia (Bacterial Exceedance)
Tuck's Point (Bacterial Exceedance)
Marlborough: Henry F Collins Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
Natick: Cochituate State Park Beach (Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom)
Salem: Children's Island - Dock (Bacterial Exceedance)
Saugus: Peckham Pond at Camp Nihan (Bacterial Exceedance)
Templeton:
Beamans Pond - Day Use (Bacterial Exceedance)
Beamans Pond - Campground (Bacterial Exceedance)
West Tisbury: Seth's Pond (Bacterial Exceedance)
Winchester: Shannon Beach at Upper Mystic (Bacterial Exceedance)
Most beaches are closed due to bacterial exceedance, meaning the levels of bacteria in the water are higher than the limits set by the MDPH.
Those in the "other" category can be closed due to a variety of chemical or physical hazards, such as riptides and poor visibility.
Beach parking: Want to park for free at the beach this summer in MA? Boston Beer Company can help
Another popular beach is closed for the summer, but not due to bacteria.
According to an announcement from the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) on May 30, the main beach at Walden Pond in Concord will be closed for the season as the site undergoes construction. Red Cross Beach, another beach at Walden Pond, will still be open for the summer, but with no lifeguards present and limited parking availability.
Over the summer, Walden Pond will be getting a new $6.1 million bathhouse, according to the DCR. The new single-story, 2,700 square-foot building will replace the current two-story bathhouse from 1947, which is not ADA compliant. This project will bring Walden Pond State Reservation's facility up to federal and state accessibility requirements.
More: Popular MA beach to stay closed all summer due to construction. Here's where
According to the MDPH website, beaches can only re-open when their bacteria levels are back within the safe range, so there is no set amount of time for a closure.
The status of a closed beach can be checked on the website's water quality dashboard, which is updated at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. daily.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Which Massachusetts beaches are closed this weekend? Here's a list
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