Buzzards Bay Swim cancelled due to ‘sewer overflows,’ beaches still open

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WLNE) — The Buzzards Bay Coalition cancelled its swim event just hours before swimmers were scheduled to take the plunge.

The organization said the event, which benefits its mission to “protect clean water in [the] region,” had to be cancelled due to “sewer overflows.”

The City of New Bedford released a statement after the cancellation, which said that the amount of rain the city received was “well below” the amount which would necessitate a recommendation for people to stay out of the water due to sewer discharge.

The full statement can be read below:

As of 9:55 p.m. Friday, when most of the rain had passed, New Bedford received .42 inches of rain with a [Combined Sewer Overflow] discharge duration of less than 45 minutes, which is well below the threshold in which the state Department of Environmental Protection would require the city to issue a recommendation for people to stay out of the water. The low discharge time, combined with the high tide at 8:30 p.m. Friday which takes the CSO and rainfall out to sea, as well as a complete tidal change by 9 a.m. Saturday, means the city will issue no beach restrictions and all New Bedford beaches will be open and staffed with normal operations on Saturday.

The Buzzards Bay Coalition added that swimmers should check their emails for more information about the cancellation.