BOSTON – During a June heat wave, Boston residents are desperate for relief from the hot weather, but is the Charles River safe for swimming?
Limited options to cool down
“They’re just trying to have fun,” said 14-year-old East Boston resident Sohaib of his experience using the harbor to cool off. “People just jump off and then there’s a little ladder.”
Others head to Boston’s beaches, but this year some are closed due to high bacteria levels or overcrowded parking lots, leaving residents with limited options.
“We had about 100 boats go out yesterday, so a lot of people were enjoying the nice weather,” said Evelyn Pickard, who spends her summers at Paddle Boston, a kayaking company along the Charles. “When you’re on land the sun reflects on you, off the sidewalk. On the river it’s more open, nothing stops the wind from blowing on you, it can be a little cooler.”
How safe is the Charles for swimming?
But how safe is it to spend time in Boston’s bodies of water?
“It’s gotten cleaner,” says EPA environmental engineer Tom Faber. He said government agencies have invested millions to remove sewage from waterways, which causes most pollution.
Before 1988, 1.7 billion gallons of bacteria-filled discharges were dumped into the Charles River annually, rising to 20 million gallons in 2014. Faber said it’s only getting safer.
Despite being one of the cleanest urban rivers in the country, Bostonians still have some questions about how clean the Charles really is.
“I did a project in third grade and we tested the water and it’s not sanitary at all,” said Avianne, a Cambridge native. “I feel like when I go in the water, I need to be able to see my feet.”
Each year the Charles River Conservancy hosts a City Splash, allowing public swimming in the Charles, which is usually prohibited. This year the event takes place on July 13 and those interested in swimming in the Charles can register here.
