Crystal Lake In Newton Is Open After Bacteria Scare

NEWTON, MA — Boaters and fishers rejoice: Crystal Lake is back open after a bacteria scare prompted the city to close the water body last week.

On Wednesday, weekly tests at the lake came back showing high levels of E. coli and fecal coliform bacteria, and that prompted the public health department to issue an alert.

The accepted level of E. coli for a single sample is 235 colony-forming units per 100 ml or below. The accepted level of fecal coliform is 200 cfu/100 ml or below. On Aug 5, both were above 600 units per 100 ml. A second test Saturday showed levels of bacteria found in Crystal Lake have dropped to within normal limits.

In June, the city closed both the Gath Pool and Crystal Lake Beach because of concern about large groups they could draw amid the pandemic. This weekend amid a slight uptick in cases of the coronavirus, the governor issued new Outdoor Gathering Limits, reducing the outdoor gathering limit from 100 to 50, effective Tuesday. The indoor gathering limit will stay at 25.

The gate near the bathhouse and beach is closed, the sections of the dock that are stored on the land behind the bathhouse are off limits and the city has said that trespassing will not be permitted. However, the grassy area nearby is still public, and several sunbathers can be seen around the lake, including in that area daily.

Read more:

• MA's New Outdoor Gathering Limits: What You Need To Know
• Stay Out Of The Charles River: Toxic Blue-Green Algae Bloom

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