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Boston Harbor
and Massachusetts Bay
After the Outfall: On September 6, 2000, as part of the Boston Harbor Project, MWRA started up a 9.5-mile outfall which began discharging effluent--treated wastewaterfrom Greater Boston communities-- into Massachusetts Bay, instead of Boston Harbor. Data gathered on the quality of sediments, water, and sea life in the harbor and bay show that the Bay outfall has been functioning as anticipated-providing rapid dilution to the effluent-with no significant adverse impacts to the bay ecosystem. The annual Outfall Monitoring Overview summarizes the previous year's monitoring data from the Harbor and Bay. It shows that while the harbor continues to recover from years of sewage discharges, the deeper waters of the bay show few effects from the secondary-treated effluent. When the Deer Island Treatment Plant discharges to the harbor ended in September 2000, dramatic changes occurred near the former harbor outfalls--reductions in bacteria and ammonium concentrations, and improvements in water clarity. MWRA currently collects sampling data from Boston Harbor and it's tributary rivers and also monitors some Boston Harbor beaches. At the beginning of the Boston
Harbor Project, many citizens and environmental groups were concerned that moving the effluent outfall from the
Harbor to the Bay would degrade the receiving water quality. Therefore, MWRA's NPDES discharge permit requires MWRA to implement an extensive monitoring and reporting program. The Outfall Monitoring Science Advisory Panel (OMSAP) oversees MWRA's monitoring program, providing advice on scientific issues. Technical Reports: Boston Harbor Water Quality Update Reversal of Eutrophication in Boston Harbor
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