Cleanest beaches in the Boston area in 2024 – NBC Boston

Southern beaches were once again the cleanest beaches on Boston’s coast last year, according to a new analysis by a local port advocacy group, and that hasn’t changed as overall water quality has declined.

Three South Boston beaches – Pleasure Bay, City Point and M Street – had 100% water quality, according to Save the Harbor/Save the Bay’s 2023 Water Quality Report Card released Monday.

The overall water quality safety rating was 85%, an 8% decrease from 2022. The worst water quality in 2023 was found at King’s Beach in Lynn and Swampscott (55%), followed by Dorchester’s Tenean (73%). and Malibu (76%) beaches.

The report card links declining water quality to 2023 being the rainiest summer in the Boston area since 1955. Heavy rains cause water to run off, which can cause bacterial blooms. However, organizers noted that despite frequent storms, water quality on nine beaches exceeded 88% last year.

Many beaches in Massachusetts have been closed due to high bacteria levels.

Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to restore Boston Harbor, announced the latest report on beaches from Lynn to Hull during a press event Monday in Revere that celebrated the continued success of the Boston Harbor cleanup.

“We have the cleanest urban beaches in the country in this region,” said Chris Mancini, executive director of Save the Harbor/Save the Bay. “We want people to take away from this report the confidence they need to go out and enjoy the beach.”

This non-profit organization successfully advocated for cleanups and provides clean water today. However, speakers continued to express concerns about the ongoing threat of climate change in Massachusetts waters.

“This legacy, these public lands are never guaranteed…Tools like this report card mobilize action,” said Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass. “Will we protect our beaches from climate change, or will we let progress slip away?”