Region 1: EPA New England
Taking Care of Coastal Water Quality Through the Year
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
By Robert
W. Varney
October 17, 2007
As we ease into the cooler weather of Autumn, next year's beach season seems a whole winter away while this past summer is a blissful memory. Even as we reminisce about those recent carefree beach days, neither Mainers nor EPA have forgotten the importance of clean beaches, and the need to keep our focus throughout the year on improving coastal water quality.
This week we celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Clean Water Act. All New Englanders can take a lot of pride in our accomplishments and ongoing work to protect our precious rivers, lakes, coasts and groundwater. Indeed, this week we also mark World Water Monitoring Day, when volunteers collect data on the health of waters in their communities.
Just a few weeks ago, Maine citizens helped protect their coastal resources during a "National Coastweek" Coastal Cleanup. This effort is the biggest volunteer event in the state and annually offers Mainers a unique opportunity to protect the state's valuable 5,300 miles of coastline. Volunteers met at 60 registered cleanup sites throughout the state to pick up trash and record their data - helping experts better pinpoint the sources of trash and debris. Preliminary results show that 767 volunteers removed nearly 4,000 pounds of debris from roughly 60 miles of coastline - a big achievement.
Coastal Cleanups such as this also took place in the five other New England coastal states as a celebration of National Coastweek, and each one made a distinct impact on coastal waters. Beach trash and debris can be as problematic as it is ugly. In the water, this waste can harm boats, threaten marine mammals, and compromise water quality.
Here at EPA we've been working hard to protect water quality for New England beachgoers as well by working with local and state governments to expand beach monitoring and reduce beach closures due to bacteria. Our goal is to eliminate chronic beach closures across New England, and we are actively working to develop and implement aggressive efforts to remove sources of contamination, and to build public support to fund necessary improvements to sewer systems.
Since 2002, EPA has awarded over $1 million to the Maine Healthy Beaches program - to monitor water quality at beaches, notify the public about risks and to assess the sources of contamination that may cause these risks. Maine's program has been very effective - more than 40 coastal beaches are now monitored, up from fewer than 10 in 2001. Thanks to this program, people can check water quality at the beach and on the Web.
Increased monitoring and reporting have also provided important data to key officials. Based on the results of the monitoring, the Maine Healthy Beaches program has discovered, mapped, and in some cases reduced pollution sources at beaches from the mid-coast in Lincolnville, on down to Kennebunkport. Local community groups in towns like Bar Harbor and Biddeford are also helping these efforts.
Sewers, septic systems, and stormwater are not the only source of bacteria for many beach communities. In large boating communities wastewater discharges from boats can contribute to bacteria contamination accumulating in swimming waters. To eliminate this source of pollution, EPA is working to designate nearly the entire New England coastline a "No Discharge Area" by 2010. In a No Discharge Area boaters are prohibited from discharging toilet waste into coastal waters up to three miles from shore.
No Discharge Areas give bays and harbors additional protection from pollution and protect, maintain, and improve water quality. No Discharge Areas work by providing adequate pumpout stations at convenient locations throughout the designated area to serve all boaters. Designating a harbor or a bay reduces sewage from boats, meaning fewer pathogens, solids and nutrients enter the water.
Casco Bay was the first coastal no discharge area in Maine. Covering 438 coastline miles of contiguous state waters north and east of Cape Elizabeth Light to Bald Point in Phippsburg, this area represents 18 percent of Maine's coastline. The state is continuing its efforts by developing applications for Southwest Harbor, Rockland, Rockport, and the Camden area. In addition, we need to work together so we can fill the gaps along the Maine coastline, especially in Southern Maine.
We New Englanders are lucky to live near some of the most beautiful coastal areas found anywhere. We are also fortunate that we live in a region where so many people care about having a clean and healthy environment. If you are wondering how you can help keep Maine's coastline clean and trash free, here are a few simple suggestions:
- Make sure septic systems are properly maintained;
- Report illicit discharges or sewer connections to health or environmental officials;
- Don't throw your pet's waste into storm drains;
- If you are a boater, use a pump out facility;
- When you're at the beach, always pick up your trash.
Working together, we can keep Maine's coastline healthy and safe and enjoy a carefree days at the beach and on the water.
More information:
Robert W. Varney is regional administrator of EPA's New England Office in Boston.