From Patch · July 9, 2025 · By Scott Souza
Falmouth’s Washburn Island and Mashpee’s South Cape Beach, the beaches on either side of the Waquoit Bay inlet, were on a list of 34 Massachusetts beaches closed to swimming as the heart of the 2025 summer season began, up from 30 the week before. Patch reported that most of the closures statewide were caused by high bacteria levels from storm runoff and other sources of fecal contamination.
Local health departments must test the water at public beaches in Massachusetts, and a beach with unsafe results must be posted with a sign warning that swimming may cause illness. Saltwater beaches are tested for Enterococcus bacteria, which point to fecal contamination from people or warm-blooded animals. Contact with contaminated water can cause stomach upset, eye and ear irritation or flu-like symptoms, and children, older people and anyone with a weakened immune system face a higher risk. Some closed beaches stay open for other activities, but contact with the water is strongly discouraged.
Read the full story from Patch: “34 MA Beaches Closed To Start Heart Of Summer Swim Season” →
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