Dirty Water Still A Problem For Rivers, Brooks In Greater Boston. Here's Why.

CBS Boston

April 23, 2025

Boston Harbor has come a long way since it was labeled an "open sewer" in the 1980s. A court-mandated cleanup transformed the harbor and surrounding rivers into some of the most improved urban waterways in the country.

But in parts of Greater Boston, untreated sewage is still entering rivers and streams during heavy rain, and the problem is only expected to get worse as climate change brings more intense storms.

One of the most impacted areas is Alewife Brook, a small stream running between Cambridge, Arlington, Belmont, and Somerville.

WBZ-TV graphic/CBS Boston

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