No discharge, no kidding

PLYMOUTH - Local and state officials don’t love that dirty water, and they’ve taken steps to keep the area’s bays and coastal waters clean.

Last week, Plymouth, Kingston and Duxbury bays and their adjacent coastal waters were designated as no discharge areas (NDA). The designation means boats are prohibited from discharging any sewage in those waters.

Discharged boat sewage can contain pathogens, nutrients, and chemical products, which can negatively affect aquatic life or degrade water quality. By prohibiting boat sewage discharge, NDAs can reduce the risk of human illness, making it safer to swim, boat, fish and eat shellfish from protected waters. Also, harmful algae growth that occurs as a result of the high level of nutrients in sewage discharge can be prevented. Reduction of these algae growths allows for higher water quality and increases habitat value.

The local NDA encompasses 63 square miles, making it the second largest in the state.

Rep. Vinny deMacedo, R-Plymouth, and Rep. Tom O’Brien, D-Kingston, were on hand for the announcement. Both praised the new designation.

“I am pleased to see that we are being proactive in protecting the vital resources that the Plymouth Bay area has to offer,” deMacedo said.

“We are particularly blessed with pristine shorelines and thriving aquatic life,” O’Brien added. “The collaborative effort to declare a No Discharge Area along the Plymouth, Duxbury and Kingston bays will ensure that our coastal waters remain safe for residents and guests, now and for generations to come.”

© 2006 Enterprise NewsMedia, divison of GateHouse Media All rights reserved.

Old Colony Memorial
By David R. Smith, MPG Newspapers