Hope For Swampscott King's Beach Despite Latest 'Failing' Grade

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — If there is any way to look on the bright side of having the most polluted beach in Greater Boston, Save The Harbor/Save The Bay Executive Director and Swampscott resident Chris Mancini is trying to provide hope following King's Beach's latest failing grade in the advocacy group's annual survey.

The survey released on Monday showed the water at King's Beach was only suitable for human contact 55 percent of the time last year —a drop of 19 percent from last year when it was also dead last out of 15 metropolitan beaches. In a year of unusually heavy rain, which contributes to stormwater runoff that makes many beaches dangerous to swim at, the average in the latest survey was safe conditions 85 percent of the time.

The full report card can be found here.

(Also on Patch: 'It's The Beaches': Swampscott Reconsiders ARPA Spending Funding Vote)

Aging and damaged sewer infrastructure leading to the beach in both Lynn and Swampscott make King's Beach all the more complicated and concerning.

"King's Beach did not fare well and we didn't expect it to," Mancini told Patch on Monday. "It's a known issue. But anybody who is anybody is on top of it and trying to solve it."

Those solutions range from committing $1.6 million in remaining federal American Recovery Plan Act funding to programs to sleeve the pipes leading to Swampscott beaches, Swampscott town meeting's authorization of a state sewer revolving fund that will mean an increase in rates to help fund fixing the century-old infrastructure, and a series of pilot programs aimed at other ways to clean the water as it emerges from Stacy's Brook.

Mancini said a much-discussed UV light treatment program has shown more effectiveness than anticipated and remains a possibility, while the recent demonstration of an oxidation program also shows promise as a treatment.

"We are excited at Save The Bay/Save The Harbor about that potential," he said. "It would be the quickest and the cheapest solution."

Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald has said that the state has also shown some support for a 4,500-foot outfall pipe that would help dilute the pollution as it is carried away from the beach and farther out into the ocean.

"I think by sometime this year we will have a decision about the plan," Mancini said. "That might be slightly optimistic. But I think we're super close and we are doing all the right tests to make it happen.

"I am hoping there will be an announcement by the end of next year."

Further giving Mancini hope is that 20 years ago the beaches in South Boston routinely failed water tests and now they are now close to universally safe.

"I remember all those photos of sad children sitting on the beach not being able to swim," he said. "Now they are A+ beaches."

He said the more realistic model for King's Beach might be the beaches of East Boston — which should be avoided the day after heavy rains but that improve to safe conditions within about 24 hours.

He advised to "use your commonsense" when it comes to whether you use King's Beach in the short term.

"Never go into Stacy's Brook at all," he said. "If you are going to go in at King's Beach go as far away from Stacy's Brook to the southern end as possible. Then if it's been raining at all in the last 24 hours I would go to Nahant or Fisherman's Beach instead."

While the state of King's Beach has become a hot-button issue in town in recent years — which is a good thing in that it keeps attention on the beaches despite some of the emotions it stirs up — Mancini said he believes all sides are going at the problem with the right intentions.

"What the general public needs to remember is that it is very difficult," he said. "The sewers are all underground and they are very old. But I think the DPW has a good plan (for sleeving the pipes). Do I want to have it done faster? Of course. But it's a good plan.

"I have faith that we will see an improvement."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)