Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) Notifications
In January 2021, Governor Baker signed An Act Promoting Awareness of Sewage Pollution in Public Waters into law. This new law will make sure the public knows when untreated sewage flows into Massachusetts waters. This includes certain Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs). The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) and the Town of Nahant recognizes the importance of notifying the public when untreated sewage is released into our waters.
When a discharge or overflow occurs, Nahant DPW sends out a public advisory notification. On business days, this website will be updated within 4 hours of the notification. During nights, weekends, or holidays, this website will be updated on the next business day. You can also see a list of discharge and overflow events on the MassDEP Website. This list is updated within 24 hours of when the public advisory notification is sent. Enter the community name in the Permittee field and click Search.
The fastest way to get information is to sign up below to receive public advisory notifications.
What can I Do to Prevent SSO and Back-ups? To protect your property and the environment, follow these simple Do’s and Don’ts:
- DON’T Put non-flushable WIPES in the toilet
- DON’T Put diapers or sanitary napkins in the toilet
- DON’T Dispose of fats, oils or grease (FOG) down the drain
- DON’T Plant trees near sewer lines
- DON’T Connect any roof drains or sump pumps to the sewer system
In the Event of a Sewer System Overflow (SSO)
Avoid contact with the affected water bodies for 48 hours after the discharge or overflow ceases due to increased health risks from bacteria and other pollutants. See the following website links listed below for more information on whether specific resource areas, such as bathing beaches, are affected.
Beach Closures
The Nahant Department of Public Works (DPW) samples water at the beaches during the beach season every Monday. If the beach is not suitable for swimming, the DPW puts up flags at the beach and signs at each beach entrance to notify the public. A notification of beach closures in Nahant will also be provided on the homepage of the Town website.
You can check the status of any nearby beach closures in this website link:
https://nahant.org/coastalresources/dcr-beach-water-testing
Shellfish Growing Areas
The shellfish growing areas adjacent to Nahant are designated as Areas N24, N25 and N26. You can check the status of the North Shore shellfish growing areas and other areas of Massachusetts through this website link: Shellfish classification areas | Mass.gov.
The following link will open an interactive map, where relevant shellfish layers area selected to show areas around Nahant which can support shellfish: https://tinyurl.com/NahantShellfishMap
Treatment Information
In the event of an SSO, Town workers perform site clean-up to restore the area. Site clean-up guidance includes:
● Make every effort to remove as much debris as possible from street/sidewalk/driveway pavement. If possible, manually remove sewerage debris from discharge point and transport to disposal site.
● Set up a berm to contain flush water so it can be pumped into the sewer. Flush area with water, contain used wash water and return wash water to the sanitary sewer.
● Spray disinfectant on impacted public areas where human contact may occur using a water/bleach solution of 20:1 (3/4 cup of bleach per gallon). Rinse the area and return the rinse water to the sewer.