By Gary Dzen, Correspondent

Bellingham Country Gazette, Friday, October 20, 2006
 
BOSTON - A Milford testing station is consistently one of the most polluted sites along the Charles River, but a bill released from the House Ways and Means Committee last week would be a step toward cleaning up the river, officials said.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Alice K. Wolf, D-Cambridge, would create a Charles River Water Quality Commission appointed by the governor. The commission, composed of legislators and environmental scientists, would be charged with studying ways to improve the water quality of the river.

"We're really interested in cleaning it up to the point where people can swim in it," said Wolf. "People don't realize how much of a problem it truly is."

The upper watershed area of the Charles River, which includes the towns of Milford, Millis, Medway and Bellingham, has tested high for bacterial and nutrient pollution since 1995. The most troublesome testing area has been Milford's Central Street Bridge, where E. Coli levels last month (2,420 E. Coli bacteria / 100 ml of water) were at three times the acceptable federal Environmental Protection Agency boating standards.

"Milford has been an area of concern," said Anna Eleria, project manager at the Charles River Watershed Association. "Because Milford is more built up, we see a lot of total suspended solids and nutrients from fertilizer in the water."

The Milford area now has a separate rainwater and sewage system, but Eleria said sewage, pet wastes, and common fertilizer could be contributing to the high pollution levels.

Medway's wastewater treatment plant may also be contributing to the problem.

"The plant releases a clean discharge," said Eleria. "But the nutrient level of the treated water is still too high."

Robert McRae, executive director of the Charles River Pollution Control District, however, said phosphorous is the main element of concern in algae growth. He said the Medway plant releases a very small amount of phosphorous. It is allowed to release .2 milligrams per liter but often the measure at the plant is lower than that.

"Even if we went down to 0 I don't think it would be a significant impact on the river quality," McRae said. "But I do agree with their statement that the total phosphorous limit is probably above what they want. But I don't think the major source now is wastewater treatment plants."

While the upper watershed area is still highly polluted, the portion of the river near Boston Harbor has seen dramatic water quality improvements in the last decade. Scientists were so encouraged by the improvements that a race drawing 100 applicants was scheduled for Sept. 9. An algal bloom unrelated to water quality forced cancellation of the race.

Upstream, the situation is not as promising.

"It will take years to clean up the river," said Renata von Tscharner, director of corporate relations at the Charles River Conservancy.

The bill to create a Charles River Water Quality Commission was one of 20 bills released by the House Ways and Means Committee last week. The action is usually the last step before bills are voted on by the House, but the Legislature does not enter another formal session until January. However, many routine bills are often passed during informal sessions.

"I don't think it's particularly controversial, so we have that going for us," said Wolf.

Should the bill become law, one of the key issues would be how to get towns involved.

Eleria said towns have a responsibility to do their part.

"It takes a lot of public education and outrage for residents to know there are a lot of negative impacts to things like fertilizer use," she said.


 

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