Water Quality Issues

Nutrients

The Sudbury, Assabet and Concord Rivers all have a Class B, “fishable and swimmable” water quality classification, although none of the rivers meet this classification at present. The rivers are overloaded with nutrients, particularly phosphorus, which encourage plant growth in the warm summer months, leading to green blankets of algae and duck weed on the surface. This detracts from the beauty and recreational activities on the river, but more importantly it depletes the amount of oxygen in the water which is needed by fish and other aquatic organisms to live. Later in the summer and fall when the plants begin to decay, they create a bad odor.

Nutrients enter the rivers from point sources such as wastewater treatment plants, and nonpoint sources which are carried over land and into the water by stormwater runoff. On the Assabet River, there are four municipal wastewater treatment plants upstream of the designated Wild and Scenic segment which are a main source of nutrients entering the river. These are in Westborough, Marlborough (Westerly), Hudson and Maynard. The town of Concord’s wastewater treatment plant discharges to the Wild and Scenic segment of the Concord River. Municipal discharges to the Sudbury River Wild and Scenic segment include a small plant owned by the town of Wayland and the Marlborough Easterly wastewater treatment plant which discharges to Hop Brook, a tributary of the Sudbury River.  Nonpoint sources of pollution, especially from stormwater and sediments, are a significant portion of the nutrient load as well to all three rivers. Because these rivers are generally slow moving, nutrients have also accumulated in the sediments and are available for plant growth in the summer.

Nonpoint sources of pollution, especially from stormwater and sediments, are a significant portion of the nutrient load as well to all three rivers.

The River Stewardship Council (RSC) is working with many local, state and federal partners to improve water quality on these rivers. Funds have helped to support OARS' water quality program on the Assabet River. Under Section 7 of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, the RSC and National Park Service have spoken out on draft wastewater treatment plant permits to ensure that phosphorus limits are based on science and will enable the rivers to meet their water quality standards. The RSC partners with local groups to educate local citizens about what they can do to help protect the water quality.

What can you do to help?

There are many things that each of us, as an individual, can do to decrease water pollution in the Sudbury, Assabet and Concord Rivers. Each of these actions will help to decrease the amount of nutrients, phosphorus and nitrogen, from reaching the rivers:

  1. Use phosphate-free dishwashing detergent.
  2. Use phosphorus-free lawn fertilizer, minimize use of all lawn fertilizers, and reduce stormwater runoff. Learn more.
  3. Practice ecological landscaping.
  4. Properly dispose of pet waste.
  5. Support dam removals, particularly the Billerica Talbot Dam and Warners Pond Dam. Re-establishing free-flowing water allows for fish passage, habitat restoration, and improved water quality, just to name a few of the benefits. 

Metals

Sediments in the Sudbury River are contaminated with mercury emanating from the Nyanza chemical waste site in Ashland, MA. The full length of the Sudbury's Wild and Scenic segment, to Egg Rock in Concord, is considered to be part of this site and contains high levels of mercury in the sediment. The Environmental Protection Agency oversees the studies of the Superfund site and its remediation. Fish caught in the Sudbury River from Ashland to Concord should not be eaten due to the mercury contamination. A multilingual public information campaign, Fish4Health, provides further information.

The settlement from Nyanza Chemical Company established a Natural Resources Damages Fund. State and federal trustees of the fund are developing a plan to restore the natural resources damaged by the Nyanza Chemical Waste Dump Site, particularly the Sudbury River. To compensate for natural resources and natural resource services injured as a result of mercury contamination, the Trustees seek to restore wetland, floodplain, and riverine habitats and species that utilize or historically utilized these habitats, particularly birds and riverine fish, as well as other aquatic organisms, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. Learn more about the Restoration Plan and Environmental Assesment.

Artificial Turf: a threat to our Wild & Scenic rivers (WSRs)

artificial turf


OUR STANCE ON ARTIFICIAL TURF: 

The Sudbury Assabet and Concord River Stewardship Council (RSC) opposes the installation of artificial turf as contrary to our core mission of promoting the health of the Wild & Scenic designated Sudbury Assabet and Concord Rivers. Given the increasing prevalence of synthetic turf usage in SuAsCo WSRs (Wild & Scenic Rivers) communities, the RSC wishes to articulate its position on artificial turf and provide resources for those interested in learning more.


Artificial turf and the environment 

Modern artificial turf generally consists of a base layer of asphalt, concrete, or gravel, a shock absorbent pad, and grass-like pile fibers composed of polyethylene or polypropylene. Infill is placed between these fibers, often made of tire crumb rubber or a similar textured organic material such as wood particles. From an environmental perspective, the crumb rubber infill and artificial turf fibers are of particular concern because of their potential to migrate into the aquatic environment, as has already happened in Wayland.

Artificial turf is known to contain potentially harmful compounds. Existing studies demonstrate that the use of artificial turf substantially contributes to the release of microplastics, per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”), and organic contaminants into nearby waterbodies. These pollutants are perilous to the natural aquatic environment, can bioaccumulate, and severely threaten the health of fish.

The RSC recognizes the heavy demand for recreational facilities and the desirability of a low-maintenance, affordable natural turf alternative. However, available scientific studies indicate that artificial turf may not be cost-effective in the long term and that it may have significant deleterious human health effects. Crucially, artificial turf does not provide the same environmental benefits as grass athletic fields. Unlike natural grass fields, artificial turf constitutes an impervious surface, generating additional stormwater runoff which contributes to flooding and aquatic contamination. Studies show that artificial turf also exacerbates heat island effects; Measurements on fields in several of our towns showed temperatures of over 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Artificial turf provides none of the air or water quality benefits of natural turf, nor does it provide potential habitat or ecosystem benefits.

Climate change exacerbates the problems with artificial turf because of the increased frequency of large precipitation events with the potential to wash turf infield materials and chemicals into the watershed.

What we are doing about it

Given the impacts of artificial turf installation, RSC recommends that it not be used as part of municipal or private projects. Federal and state law has yet to fully regulate the use of artificial turf, and litigation over its ill effects has been inconclusive and sparse, though there are municipal and state efforts to limit its use in Massachusetts. Boston has pledged not to use artificial turf on municipal properties, and state Community Preservation Act program funds may not be used for artificial turf. As the conversation around artificial turf usage advances, RSC strongly advocates for legislation and policy that reduces artificial turf’s ability to negatively impact the Commonwealth and its waters.

Resources

Studies/Reports

Articles