SOUTHWICK – Members of the Park and Recreation Commission are hopeful the Southwick Town Beach will be open Friday after being closed because of water quality.
The beach closed Tuesday afternoon when Health Director Thomas Fitzgerald received water samples with high levels of bacteria. The water at the beach, which is located on Beach Road, is tested every Monday.
“Tom was surprised because he said the water was crystal clear,” said Commissioner Daniel Call.
The beach has been closed several times over the past few seasons for contaminants in the water. Call said the Commission believed the problem was geese who frequently visited the beach at night.
“This year we have not seen any evidence of geese, but prior to this year we had geese everywhere,” said Call. “So there is something else causing it and Tom is not sure of that source.”
The Commission had plans to combat the geese this year with plastic fencing that would keep them off the beach. Previously, beach staff would spend every morning raking and shoveling geese waste from the beach.
“We were prepared to implement a plan to keep them out but there is no need right now,” Call said.
The water at the beach has been tested every day this week and each day the level of contaminants has decreased. Call said Thursday’s test was well under the state levels.
“We are hoping to be back in business Friday and ready for the weekend,” he said.
Before heading to the Southwick Town Beach, Call recommended calling the beach hotline at 413-569-1213 to make sure it is open.
