HOW CLEAN IS Harbor? BACTERIA: THE Before Improvements LIGHTER THE BLUE, THE BETTER Mystic Chelsea 1989-1991 River Creek MWRA measures Enterococcus, a bacteria associated with human and animal waste, at more than 60 sampling locations. The data are used to Inner DEER ISLAND estimate values for areas not sampled. Harbor TREATMENT PLANT Charles Enterococcus Bacteria In Wet River Weather Before Improvements Sewage effluent and solids were discharged daily into Boston Harbor through outfalls near the Deer Island and treatment plants.

Dorchester Bay LEGEND Geometric mean (number of bacteria, colonies per 100 ml sample). Lighter blue shading indicates lower Quincy NUT bacteria counts. Bay ISLAND TREATMENT 0-5 105-158 PLANT 6-10 159-275 Neponset River 11-35 >275 36-104 Old Treatment Plant Outfalls MWRA has been monitoring water quality in Boston Harbor and its tributary rivers since 1989. After Improvements Enterococcus Bacteria In Wet Mystic 2012-2016 Weather After MWRA Upgraded Collecting data before the new treatment facili- River ties were constructed has helped to measure the Treatment and Equipment effects of the new facilities and identify changes The Nut Island Treatment Plant was replaced by a headworks, which screens in water quality over time. sewage before sending it to Deer Island. Inner DEER ISLAND Harbor TREATMENT Once treated, Deer Island effluent is MWRA monitors water quality at more than 50 PLANT Charles discharged through a 9.5-mile deep locations in Boston Harbor. Measurements are also River rock outfall to Bay. made in the Charles, Mystic, and Neponset rivers. The data is irrefutable - the beaches and eco- system of Boston Harbor have rebounded and the economic impact to the city’s waterfront has been remarkable. Dorchester Bay More than 300 technical reports and more than 1,000 scientific papers on the subjects of Quincy Boston Harbor and Bay document environmental Nut Island conditions and changes Headworks Neponset since the treatment facilities River were brought on-line.

Reduction In Annual CSO Volume Combined sewer overflows into Boston Harbor and its tributary rivers have been reduced by nearly 3 billion gallons, with 93% of the remaining flows receiving treatment. 3.50 3.00 2.50 Treated 2.00 Untreated 1.50 1.00 (Billions of Gallons) 0.50 0.00 1988 2016 MWRA’s efforts to eliminate wet-weather discharges of Swimmable Beaches After MWRA Improvements sewage and stormwater have resulted in the cleanest Overall bacterial water quality is better today at Boston urban beaches in the country. Harbor’s beaches, due in large part to MWRA projects Protecting Massachusetts Bay Percent of samples meeting the saltwater swimming including the Boston Harbor Project, and the Combined Even though Deer Island’s discharge was moved from standard for Enterococcus at Harbor Beaches 2012-2016: Sewer Overflow (CSO) Long-Term Control Plan. Boston Harbor to Massachusetts Bay, bacteria remain at Carson Beach bacteria levels have dropped since 2011: safe levels for recreation and shellfishing at monitoring stations near the outfall and closer to the coast. % Samples not meeting standards 94% 99% 91% Rainfall (inches, summer season) 20 CSO Storage Tunnel opened 18 16 Constitution South Boston Malibu 14 Beach Beaches Beach 12 10 South Boston beaches have met swimming standards 99% 8 of the time in the last 5 years. Today, any high bacteria 6 counts are mainly from stormwater runoff, which often 4 contains animal waste and other sources of bacteria. 2 0 0 0 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016

The MWRA Advisory Board represents the interests of the cities and towns in the MWRA service area. service MWRA the in towns and cities the of interests the represents Board Advisory MWRA The

Hadley South Administrator, Town Assistant Jennifer L. Wolowicz Wolowicz L. Jennifer

Retired Engineer and Community Activist, Quincy Activist, Community and Engineer Retired Walsh J. John

Executive Director, Boston Water and Sewer Commission Sewer and Water Boston Director, Executive Vitale F. Henry

Commissioner, Lawrence Water and Sewer Department Sewer and Water Lawrence Commissioner, Peña Brian

Deputy Administrator and Chief of Operations, MassDOT Highway Div. Highway MassDOT Operations, of Chief and Administrator Deputy Foti C. Joseph

Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Management, Winthrop Management, Emergency of Director and Chief Fire Flanagan E. Paul

Business Manager, Plumbers and Gasfitters Local 12 (Retired) 12 Local Gasfitters and Plumbers Manager, Business Cotter L. Kevin

Chief of Environment, Energy and Open Space, Boston Space, Open and Energy Environment, of Chief Austin F. Blackmon Blackmon F. Austin

Commissioner, Brookline Department of Public Works Public of Department Brookline Commissioner, Sec. , Pappastergion M. Andrew

General Manager, Norwood (Retired) Norwood Manager, General Chair Vice Carroll, J. John

sewage both dumped that networks success. program’s the demonstrate to

Secretary, Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs Environmental & Energy of Office Executive Secretary, Matthew A. Beaton, Chair Chair Beaton, A. Matthew

sewer overflows (CSOs) – old pipe pipe old – (CSOs) overflows sewer assessment performance three-year a of

directly or indirectly by elected officials in MWRA customer communities. The current members are: members current The communities. customer MWRA in officials elected by indirectly or directly

combined of control the but Island, results the court federal the to submit MWRA is governed by an 11-member Board of Directors who are appointed by the Governor or or Governor the by appointed are who Directors of Board 11-member an by governed is MWRA

wastewater treatment facilities at Deer Deer at facilities treatment wastewater must MWRA 2020, In released. being

only for the construction of new new of construction the for only before treated are discharges remaining

Executive Director Executive not called Harbor Boston of clean-up the of 93% and year a gallons billion 2.7

Laskey A. Frederick Laskey A. Frederick The federal court order that drove the the drove that order court federal The CSO discharges have decreased by over over by decreased have discharges CSO

mental achievements. mental and educational open space. open educational and

- environ greatest nation’s the of one provides a new and unique recreational recreational unique and new a provides

Sincerely, Sincerely,

Harbor Clean-up is widely recognized as as recognized widely is Clean-up Harbor quality in the Alewife Brook, but also also but Brook, Alewife the in quality

us. contact Boston The city. the of centerpiece control. It not only improves water water improves only not It control.

or any of MWRA’s programs, please visit our website at www.mwra.com or or www.mwra.com at website our visit please programs, MWRA’s of any or sparkling the it’s Today, America.” wildlife habitats and natural flood flood natural and habitats wildlife

We hope you find this information interesting. For more information on this this on information more For interesting. information this find you hope We was known as the “dirtiest harbor in in harbor “dirtiest the as known was and plant includes that Cambridge

Harbor the that ago years 30 only was It innovative stormwater wetland in in wetland stormwater innovative investments to ensure that we never again ignore this critical infrastructure. critical this ignore again never we that ensure to investments

Harbor. Boston into right dumped being an and closures, beach cause to a nationally recognized maintenance program in place to protect these these protect to place in program maintenance recognized nationally a

received only limited treatment before before treatment limited only received used that discharges captures our Board of Directors and staff are committed to keeping it this way: we have have we way: this it keeping to committed are staff and Directors of Board our

and its surrounding commuities commuities surrounding its and that Boston South in tunnel country, and swimming in the Charles River is close to becoming a reality. And And reality. a becoming to close is River Charles the in swimming and country,

Boston of waste daily the of disposal storage a included projects the in beaches urban cleanest the boasts now Boston waterfront. the to back

For Over One Hundred Years, Hundred One Over For the Major installed. were Now healthy, Boston Harbor has attracted people and economic development development economic and people attracted has Harbor Boston healthy, Now

drains storm and sewers

during heavy rains are now sent to the sewer system or receive treatment. receive or system sewer the to sent now are rains heavy during

new of miles 100 r e v O

overflows of raw sewage that used to spill into rivers or onto local beaches beaches local onto or rivers into spill to used that sewage raw of overflows

l

l .

l i s r e S a d e v e e n a h o C m

Harbor is now recycled into commercial fertilizer, and nearly all of the the of all nearly and fertilizer, commercial into recycled now is Harbor

Brookline, i

r , a C b g d e m

communities in greater Boston. The sludge that used to pour daily into Boston Boston into daily pour to used that sludge The Boston. greater in communities

Boston, in projects separate

treats an average of 350 million gallons of wastewater each day from 43 43 from day each wastewater of gallons million 350 of average an treats

35 included program

including the state-of-the-art sewage treatment plant on Deer Island that that Island Deer on plant treatment sewage state-of-the-art the including

the 2015, in Completed

Since its creation in 1984, MWRA has completed several large-scale projects projects large-scale several completed has MWRA 1984, in creation its Since

basements. and streets into

Boston Harbor and its tributary rivers. tributary its and Harbor Boston

beaches to prevent flooding flooding prevent to beaches

of health the and system sewer your about something you tell also should we

Neponset rivers and onto onto and rivers Neponset

Every June, you receive a detailed report on your drinking water. We thought thought We water. drinking your on report detailed a receive you June, Every

Charles, Mystic and and Mystic Charles,

Dear Customer, Customer, Dear

the into stormwater and

ECRWSS

#211 Permit

MA Reading, N.

Standard Presort

Paid Postage U.S. 617-788-1170 617-788-2050 617-788-4436 HOW CLEAN IS Boston Harbor? www.mwra.com www.mwraadvisoryboard.com www.mwra.com/monthly/wac/wac.htm RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER RESIDENTIAL MA 02129 Where To Go For Further Information Go For To Where Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Resources Water Massachusetts Yard Navy Charlestown Avenue 100 First Boston, Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Resources Water Massachusetts AdvisoryMWRA Board Advisory Committee Citizens Wastewater For a larger print version, please call 617-788-1170. call please version, print a larger For

it

it are oils bin nick, pipe, cleaning a dispose of backup sewer recycling wipes, dental a on a caught products, to sure of buildup growth in the properly: care pour them carefully in the fats, of household make disposal site. clogs. nasty mains, causing it in the trash. then throw household local your oils and grease cooking Let can. metal an empty a trigger dispose care personal household and other supplies cause could that home or neighborhood. in your Please bend or bump inside can or at waste floss and paper towels, don’t don’t towels, floss and paper all – in – or at quickly dissolve of undissolved If a scrap water. gets material What Not To Flush Not To What safe seem might that Products such the toilet, flush down to as personal wastewater can, trash Cease The Grease Fats, cool, coat They not water-soluble. household and public pipes sewer To into and grease,

or and a enter seriously basins pollutants can can drain storm you some our waterways These harbor. waste Massachusetts Water How Boston help keep Harbor clean oil such as motor pet can pollutants drain and flow directly and flow drain into the and life harm aquatic quality water degrade in result and could and beach closures use of restricted and the harbor. rivers Don’t Dump Into Dump Into Don’t Basins Catch While catch many prevent from pollutants a entering pipe, Resources Authority