PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 29, 2023
In 2022, 36 Maine beaches were potentially unsafe for swimming on at least one testing day, according to “Safe for Swimming?,” the latest analysis of bacteria testing by Environment Maine Research & Policy Center. To stop these health risks at our beaches, we need to prevent the runoff and sewage overflows that are often major sources of pathogen pollution. This includes projects that replace some of nature’s lost capacity to absorb stormwater – like rain gardens, tree trenches and permeable pavement. Fifty years ago, our nation passed the Clean Water Act and resolved that we would make all our waterways safe for swimming. It is time to realize that goal for all Maine beaches. ~ Lily Segal, Needham, Mass.