Mass. beach closures: Over 50 beaches closed on Tuesday, Aug. 19

Dozens of Massachusetts beaches remain closed in Massachusetts on Tuesday, all of which were also closed on Monday.

On Tuesday, 54 beaches across the state are still closed, 37 of them due to high levels of bacteria in the water, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH). Several factors, including stormwater runoff, agricultural runoff, sanitary sewer overflows, leaking sewer pipes and wildlife or animal waste, can cause this.

When people are exposed to water with high levels of bacteria, it can cause them to falldevelop ill and developing gastrointestinal symptoms, respiratory symptoms, dermatological symptoms, eye and ear symptoms or flu-like symptoms, DPH stated on its website.

Other beaches are closed due to cyanobacteria, or algae, blooms, according to DPH. These algae blooms can release toxins into the water that are harmful to people and animals.

Lastly, Concord's Walden Pond State Reservation remains closed as work continues on a new, state-of-the-art $6.1 million bathhouse that will last all of summer 2025. Red Cross Beach at Walden Pond will remain open with no lifeguards.

• Amesbury: Lake Gardner — bacterial exceedance

• Ashby: Damon Pond Beach — bacterial exceedance

• Ashland: Ashland Reservoir's main beach — bacterial exceedance

• Beverly: Woodbury Beach — bacterial exceedance

• Billerica: Nutting Lake's Micozzi Beach, north and south — bacterial exceedance

• Chicopee: Chicopee Beach — bacterial exceedance

• Concord: main beach at Walden Pond — bathhouse construction

• Danvers: Sandy Beach — bacterial exceedance

• Essex: Centennial Grove — harmful cyanobacteria bloom

• Framingham: Learned Pond Beach — bacterial exceedance

• Franklin: Chilson Beach — bacterial exceedance

• Georgetown: American Legion Park — bacterial exceedance

• Harwich: Seymour Pond — harmful cyanobacteria bloom

• Holden: Eagle Lake — bacterial exceedance

• Holliston: Pleasure Point, Stoddard Park — harmful cyanobacteria bloom

• Lunenberg: Lunenberg Town Beach — bacterial exceedance

• Mashpee: Santuit Pond at Bryants Neck and Town Landing — harmful cyanobacteria bloom

• Nahant: Nahant Beach at the north/ward bathhouse, Parking Section 12, flagpole/halfway, south/main entrance — bacterial exceedance

• Nantucket: Sesachacha Pond — bacterial exceedance

• Natick: Cochituate State Park Beach — harmful cyanobacteria bloom

  • Memorial Beach at Dug Pond — bacterial exceedance

• Newton: Crystal Lake — harmful cyanobacteria bloom

• North Andover: Center of Stevens Pond — bacterial exceedance

• Oxford: Carbuncle Pond — harmful cyanobacteria bloom

• Pittsfield: Lulu Pond Beach — bacterial exceedance

• Salem: Wally and the back end of Children's Island, Ocean Avenue — bacterial exceedance

• Saugus: Pearce Lake at Breakheart Reservation — bacterial exceedance

• Sharon: Community Center Beach — bacterial exceedance

• Southwick: South Pond Beach — bacterial exceedance

• Springfield: Camp Wilder Beach, right side — bacterial exceedance

  • Right sides of Bass Pond and Paddle Club — harmful cyanobacteria bloom

• Templeton: Beamans Pond, campground and day use — bacterial exceedance

• Townsend: Pearl Hill Bond Beach — bacterial exceedance

• Wareham: Shangri-La — harmful cyanobacteria bloom

• Webster: Lakeside,

• Memorial Beach Location 1 and Location 2 — harmful cyanobacteria bloom

• Westminster: Crow Hill Pond Beach — bacterial exceedance

• Wilmington: center and right sides of Wilmington Town Beach — bacterial exceedance

• Winchendon: North Camp Beach and day use beach at Lake Dennison State Park — bacterial exceedance

• Winthrop: Donovans Beach, Halford Beach — bacterial exceedance

What are the risks?

Swimming in beach water that has high levels of bacteria can be risky and can result in illnesses, including:

• Gastrointestinal symptoms- nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain

• Respiratory symptoms- sore throat, cough, runny nose and sneezing

• Dermatological symptoms- skin rash and itching

• Eye and ear symptoms- irritation, earache, itching

• Flu-like symptoms- fever and chills

Stay aware of any warnings or beach closures that indicate that the water is not safe. Check the weather forecast, avoid swimming after heavy rain, watch for signs of water pollution like discolored, fast flowing and strong smelling water, do not swim near trash or litter floating in the water, avoid swallowing the water and swim in areas designated as "swim beaches."

Although a beach could be posted, the public can still visit the location and take part in other activities that do not involve contact with the water. This can include anything from playing sports like volleyball or frisbee to sunbathing or collecting seashells or sea glass, DPH stated.

The public can also help to reduce contamination and pollution at the beach by:

• Cleaning up after pets

• Not feeding the birds as it encourages them to hang around the beaches, which increases fecal matter

• Using public restrooms

• Picking up and throwing away trash using public restrooms or properly disposing of it at home

• Not entering the water when sick or feeling unwell

• Changing diapers and putting plastic or rubber pants, known as swim diapers, on diapered children before they enter the water

• Not dumping anything down storm drains, as water moving through these drains does not get treated at a wastewater facility and flows directly into lakes and streams

• Avoiding the use of fertilizers and pesticides in yards since these chemicals can easily carry into the surface of waters during rain events and snowmelt

• Use walkways and avoid walking on dunes to prevent erosion and preserve vegetation that filters out pollutants from runoff before they reach the beach

More details from the DPH can be found here .

Read the original article on MassLive .