Mass. beaches, lakes closed as Bay Staters seek relief from sweltering heat

QUINCY, Mass. — Many popular beaches and lakes across Massachusetts are closed as Bay Staters seek relief from the sweltering heat and stifling humidity.

Unless you want to spend time on the scorching sand, people looking to beat the heat on Wednesday shouldn’t head to more than a dozen beaches, lakes, and ponds that are closed due to harmful bacteria levels.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Interactive Beach Water Quality Dashboard shows that 16 state beaches are closed as of Wednesday morning.

The database is updated twice a day, once at 9:30 a.m. and again at 12:30 p.m.

The state said test results take about 24 hours so it’s common for a beach to stay closed for one or two days after a high bacteria sample is gathered.

Water quality is affected by rainfall, as well as sewer and pet waste runoff. Swimming in unsafe waters can result in gastrointestinal and respiratory health issues.

The state conducts weekly water quality testing at the start of each week from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Other popular beaches that are closed include Walden Pond in Concord and King’s Beach in Lynn.

Below is the current list of active closures shown in the dashboard:

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