New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
The New Bedford Health Department has announced all of New Bedford’s beaches have been reopened for swimming today. Testing was conducted and the results of water samples collected from all municipal beaches indicate that water quality has returned to a level safe for swimming to resume at all New Bedford beaches.
On Tuesday afternoon, the New Bedford Health Department announced it would close New Bedford’s beaches to swimming for the remainder of the day and on Wednesday as a precaution in anticipation of significant rainfall. In the wake of the nearly 2 inches of heavy rainfall on Tuesday afternoon, water sampling results confirmed that bacteria levels were elevated at the beaches on Wednesday and the proactive decision to close the beaches to swimming was prudent. Some sections of beach in New Bedford remained closed to swimming yesterday, Thursday, August 13, 2015, as the samples taken in those locations indicated that the water had not yet returned to a level safe for swimming. All areas are open to swimming today, August 14, 2015.
The state and federal government require the monitoring of water quality at public beaches during the bathing season. The New Bedford Health Department monitors the quality at New Bedford’s public beaches throughout the summer. City health officials will continue to monitor the water quality at all municipal beaches for any significant changes.
For more information on this topic, visit the New Bedford Health Department Municipal Marine Laboratory Page: http://www.newbedford-ma.gov/health-department/municipal-marine-lab/.
