High bacteria levels on many Massachusetts beaches have made the summer a rough one so far. So the state has launched a new online system to help people keep track of the closures.
John Walkey, director of Justice Initiatives, told NBC New England that when there are very strong storms, the stormwater system sometimes mixes with raw sewage and is at risk of contamination. Then people who come in contact with the bacteria can get sick and have stomach problems.
There are currently more than 50 beach closures. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has launched an interactive dashboard that will be updated twice a day. This establishes the town, the beach and the reason for the closure.
Here you can access the board to see the closed beaches.
Beachgoers say it could be useful, but they also call for better signage at the water’s edge.
“If people know there’s a mapping system, sure,” said Joanne Rancich, who visited Wollaston Beach on Thursday.
“The more information the better. The more signage the better,” said Quincy’s Deangelo Alston. “I walk this beach regularly and I still see people in the water all the time, so if you don’t know, you don’t know.”
However, Walkey said that the importance of the tool is that it is known in advance and prevents the person from making the entire trip to the beach to later find a sign that says that it is contaminated.
The tool will be updated twice a day.
