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These Massachusetts beaches are closed as of Aug. 15
Before hitting the beach this weekend, check out this list of closed waterfronts.
Summer may be winding down, but there is still time to hit the beach! Just make sure you visit an open one. These 48 beaches across Massachusetts are closed as of Aug. 15 due to bacteria concerns.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health says bacteria levels tend to rise right after periods of heavy rainfall. Dirty runoff from the streets gathers excrement and other harmful bacteria in the sewers, which in turn can run into nearby bodies of water.
Swimming in unsafe water can potentially lead to a bevy of health problems. The most frequent and notable effects are gastrointestinal symptoms, like nausea and diarrhea. When ingested, bacteria can also cause flu-like symptoms, skin rashes, and eye-nose-throat problems.
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It is unclear when the beaches will reopen. Water testing results take 24 hours, DPH says, so results typically come out the next day. For now, the department warns beachgoers to be vigilant and check their interactive beach water quality dashboard.
List of beaches closed as of Thursday, Aug. 15
Beaches with an * indicate beaches that were closed for over a week. Two asterisks (**) indicate the beach has been closed for more than two weeks. Three asterisks indicate beaches closed for over three weeks.
Amherst
- Puffers Pond
- Stanley St. swimming hole
Ashby
- Damon Pond Beach***
Ashland
- Ashland Reservoir*
Barnstable
- Wequaquet Lake Town
- Wequaquet Lake Yacht Club
Braintree
- Smith Beach
Concord
- Walden Pond***
Danvers
- Sandy Beach**
Dartmouth
- Moses Smith Creek**
Framingham
- Learned Pond Beach*
Grafton
- Silver Lake Beach
Harwich
- Sand Pond**
Haverhill
- Plugs Pond
Holland
- Collette Drive Beach***
Kingston
- Gray’s Beach
Lowell
- Merrimac River Bath House*
Lynn
- Kings***
- Lynn Shore Beach***
Nahant
- Nahant Beach*
Nantucket
- Sesachacha Pond***
Natick
- Cochituate State Park Beach**
North Andover
- Fyre Pond Beach
- Stevens Pond – Center**
Northampton
- Musante Beach*
Oxford
- Carbuncle Pond***
Plymouth
- Nelson Park
Quincy
- Norton Beach
Salem
- Camp Naumkeag***
- Children’s Island***
- Ocean Avenue**
- Willow Avenue*
Saugus
- Pearce Lake*
Shutesbury
- Lake Wyola***
Springfield
- Bass Pond*
Swampscott
- Kings***
Templeton
- Beamans Pond***
Townsend
- Pearl Hill Pond Beach***
Truro
- Longnook**
West Stockbridge
- Card Pond Beach***
West Tisbury
- Seth’s Pond**
Westborough
- Lake Chauncy Beach*
Winchendon
- Lake Dennison**
Winchester
- Shannon Beach*
Winthrop
- Halford
Worcester
- Indian Lake**
- Lake Quinsigamond-Regatta Point Beach**
- Shore Park*
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