 Nitrogen Pollution
Down 3 from 59 in 2003
Once known for their clear waters, underwater eelgrass meadows and abundant bay scallop harvests, today you are more likely to find Buzzards Bay’s nearshore waters clouded and murky. Under the surface, their bottoms may be covered in algae which deprives the water of lifegiving oxygen for fish and shellfish. In some areas, these impacts can lead to bad odors, algae-covered shorelines and even fish kills.
For more than half of the Bay’s harbors and coves, the signs of this decline are already clearly visible. Take a look at the bay this summer. Is it the same as the bay you first fell in love with? Or the bay that your grandparents described?
Click Above to View the Buzzards Bay Health Index Score
For Your Local Harbor or Cove
The decline is being driven by increasing nitrogen pollution from poorly-planned sprawl development in the bay watershed and inadequate wastewater treatment for expanding populations in all of our communities. It is the greatest long-term threat to the health of the Bay.
The score of 56 is based on a compilation of the 5-year running average of water quality data collected in each of the Bay’s 30 major harbors, coves and tidal rivers by The Coalition for Buzzards Bay’s Baywatchers program. For detailed information on the program and the health of your local piece of Buzzards Bay, see http://savebuzzardsbay.org/baywatchers
Bacterial Contamination
Down 3 from 59 in 2003
9,988 acres, or 44% of the Bay’s most productive, nearshore shellfish beds, are too polluted to permit commercial and recreational shellfishing. This represents an ongoing threat to human health and economic losses in many parts of Buzzards Bay and a reversal of recent trends.
 After a decade of steady improvements, efforts to reduce sewage and animal wastes flowing into the bay have slowed. Sources include failing septic systems and the more than 2,500 stormwater pipes that discharge polluted road runoff every time it rains.
The score of 56 is based on the extent of total shellfish bed closures in the bay in July 2006 as reported by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and analyzed by the Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program. A perfect score would result from a Bay with no shellfish bed closures due to pollution.
 Toxic Pollution
Up 2 from 45 in 2003
Among all threats to Buzzards Bay, toxic chemicals are the most difficult to measure. Sources include oil spills, discharges from industry and wastewater treatment plants, household hazardous wastes, agricultural pesticides and stormwater.
With nearly 2 billion gallons passing through the Cape Cod Canal each year, Buzzards Bay is under constant threat of an oil spill. Now 4 years since the B-120 Oil Spill, federal and state agencies have still not released their assessment of that spill’s ecological damage. And in New Bedford Harbor, dredging of PCBs and heavy metals has slowed with cutbacks in federal funding. At this rate, the PCB cleanup may take more than 30 years.
On the positive side, since our last report, we have had three more years of groundwater treatment which has reduced the toxic plume flowing into the Bay from the Massachusetts Military Reservation, and Fairhaven eliminated the use and discharge of toxic chlorine for sewage disinfection.
With no B-120 damage assessment, a stalled Superfund cleanup in New Bedford, and only small investments in toxic reduction elsewhere in the Bay, the score of 47 represents slow progress on the state of toxic contamination across all of Buzzards Bay.
Nitrogen Pollution
Watershed Communities
- Support the Massachusetts Estuaries Project (MEP) in completing assessments of all harbors and coves in your town. These detailed assessments are a necessary first step in restoring areas degraded by nitrogen pollution and protecting healthy areas.
- Develop and implement estuary restoration Action Plans based on pollution reduction targets set by the MEP for specific harbors and coves in your town.
- Expand use of community, nitrogen-reducing wastewater systems to remediate pollution from older neighborhoods and require use of these systems in new developments.
- Upgrade sewer plants in Marion and Fairhaven to provide enhanced nitrogen removal.
Everyone
- If your home uses a septic system, consider upgrading to a new nitrogen-reducing system to reduce up to half of your impact on local waters. Better yet, partner with neighbors to construct a shared system which can achieve up to 90% reductions in nitrogen at less cost.
- Reduce your use of lawn fertilizers and only use organic lawn-care products.
Bacterial Contamination
Watershed Communities
- Remediate existing stormwater discharges to coastal waters and rivers from public streets.
- Accelerate efforts to eliminate all Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) in New Bedford.
- Investigate and correct illegal household sewage connections to street drains.
- Encourage use and availability of boat pump-out facilities.
Everyone
- Replace your old cesspool or any septic system that shows signs of failure.
- Reduce stormwater runoff at home by redirecting downspouts to grassy areas, gardens or dry wells.
- Pick up after your dog and don’t feed the geese. Animal wastes on streets and lawns end up in the Bay when it rains.
Toxic Pollution
Watershed Communities
- Reduce industrial toxic sources to sewer plants in Falmouth, Wareham, Marion, Fairhaven, New Bedford and Dartmouth.
- Participate in regional oil spill prevention and response programs.
- Find new ways to accelerate the cleanup of PCB contamination in New Bedford Harbor.
- Increase public accessibility to household hazardous waste recycling centers.
Everyone
- Never dump paint, oil, cleaners and other hazardous waste down sinks and stormdrains. Take them to hazardous waste recycling centers.
- Convert to non-toxic, environmentally-friendly house and garden products.
- Practice energy conservation at home and support renewable energy development to reduce our use of oil and help curb global warming.
Follow these links for additional resources to help you get
involved inreducing pollution.
Nitrogen Pollution
Massachusetts Estuaries Project
Reducing Nitrogen on Your Lawn
We Can Restore West Falmouth Harbor
Turn the Tide (Restore Dartmouth's Estuaries)
Bacterial Contamination
Shellfish Bed Closure Information
Atlas of Stormwater Discharges to Buzzards Bay
Where to Find Boat Pumpout Facilities in Massachusetts
Toxic Pollution
New Bedford Harbor Superfund Cleanup Status
Massachusetts Military Reservation Cleanup Status
Bouchard 120 Oil Spill Cleanup Status
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