Public Health Warning Related to Sanitary Sewer Overflow
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection promulgates 314 CMR 16.00 and establishes requirements and procedures for notifying the public of sewage discharges and overflows into the surface waters of the Commonwealth to protect and preserve public health. This public advisory notification is being released in accordance with the 314 CMR 16.00. Municipalities directly impacted by a discharge or overflow shall issue a public health warning.
This public health warning is for residents who may have been impacted by the recent Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) located at 299 Great Road in Bedford, MA that began at approximately 10:00AM on January 10, 2024. Potentially affected municipalities include Bedford, Burlington, and Billerica, and potentially affected water bodies include Shawsheen River. This overflow has no impact on the Town's drinking water or wells.
The Bedford Health Department recommends the public avoid contact with these water bodies for 48 hours after the discharge or overflow, and during rainstorms and for 48 hours after rainstorms end, due to increased health risks from bacteria and other pollutants associated with urban stormwater runoff and discharges of untreated or partially untreated wastewater.
Please visit https://www.bedfordma.gov/497/Sanitary-Sewer-Overflow-Advisory-Notice for additional information on specific water resource areas potentially affected by the overflow. For addition information or questions please call the Health Department at 781-275-6507 or visit https://www.bedfordma.gov/health-department.