Massachusetts

Massachusetts water resources body punts on permanently dumping sewage into Charles River

Published

8 months ago

November 17, 2025

Massachusetts water resources body punts on permanently dumping sewage into Charles River

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority may have been caught loving that dirty water a little too much, as its board has halted a proposal that clean water advocates fear would dump sewage into the Charles River forever.

The MWRA Board of Directors has tabled its upcoming vote, scheduled for Wednesday, on whether to reclassify the Charles as a water body that allows for maximum sewage overflows.

This comes after the Charles River Watershed Association and other clean-water advocates slammed the MWRA for considering the option to address a decades-old problem of combined sewer overflows, or CSOs.

These systems collect stormwater and household and industrial waste in the same pipes, destined for treatment plants. But it allows rain to overwhelm the system and dump sewage contamination out through overflows. The CRWA says CSOs have proven to be a “key source of pathogen and bacteria contamination.”

“The public has responded loud and clear. No amount of sewage is acceptable to be dumped in our beloved Charles River,” CRWA Executive Director Emily Norton said in a statement. “We are glad to hear that MWRA is finally listening to public input and postponing a decision on this terrible proposal.”

MWRA spokesperson Sean Navin said that officials need to address questions and comments before the plan is reconsidered at a future meeting.

The MWRA says it has invested more than $900 million to eliminate 90% of CSOs in its service area over the past few decades.

The problem remains, though, with outfalls located in the lower Charles River and in the Alewife Brook/Upper Mystic River Basin. Advocates argue that climate change is exacerbating the issue, as CSOs struggle to handle excess polluted water from heavy rainstorms.

“This is the generational decision that we need to make,” MWRA executive director Frederick A. Laskey said at last month’s meeting. “But we do have to move forward with a responsible plan that we can defend, and that’s continuously, at the end of the day, financial stability.”

The Charles River Watershed Association has long been pressuring the MWRA to stop polluting the Charles with sewage. Most recently, in April, the organization launched a campaign in which nearly 800 people have signed petitions or sent emails to the MWRA, urging the association to “cut the crap.”

The CRWA also says the proposal is “at odds” with how the Healey administration’s so-called “biodiversity plan” has a goal of “dramatically” reducing water pollution.

“Significantly reduce or eliminate combined-sewer overflows (CSOs),” the plan states, “sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs), stormwater runoff, and septic pollution through sewer separation, treatment plant upgrades, sewer expansion, aquatic habitat buffers, and green infrastructure to protect biodiversity, shellfish beds, and public health. Increase investment and technical assistance for curbing stormwater pollution to ensure waters are swimmable and fishable.”

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Massachusetts

Max McColgan and Joseph Lenane share stroke play medals at 118th Massachusetts Amateur Championship – The Boston Globe

Published

5 hours ago

July 8, 2026

Press Room

Max McColgan and Joseph Lenane share stroke play medals at 118th Massachusetts Amateur Championship – The Boston Globe

Max McColgan of Nashawtuc CC and Joseph Lenane of George Wright GC shared the Harry B. McCracken Jr. medal after finishing a rain-suspended second round of stroke play at 3-under-par in the 118th Massachusetts Amateur at Winchester Country Club on Wednesday.

McColgan and Lenane advanced into match play as the top two seeds, but only one of them advanced past the Round of 32. McColgan beat Dylan Greenwald of The Haven CC, 2-and-1, but Lenane fell to No. 31 seed Ricky Stimets of Barnstable Golf on the 19th hole of their match. Stimets will face Zachary Georgantas of Foxborough CC in the Round of 16 after Georgantas needed 21 holes to beat Joey Monahan at his home course.

Patrick Kilcoyne, who was the runner-up last year at GreatHorse, finished stroke play tied for third with 2024 champion Matthew Naumec at 2-under. Kilcoyne scored a 1-up victory over Winchester CC’s Jake Peer in match play, while Naumec won a thriller over Kyle Tibbetts in 22 holes in the final match of the day.

Elsewhere in the round of 32, No. 27 seed Maxx Zides finished 1 up over No. 6 seed Sam Grindle, while No. 24 seed Ben Spitz held on to finish 1 up on No. 9 seed Conner Willett as well.

Match play will continue on Thursday, with McColgan teeing off against C.J. Winchenbaugh at 7:30 a.m. in the round of 16 to start a busy day of action on the course. A 36-hole final is scheduled for Friday.

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Massachusetts

Cool off this summer at these 10 splash pads in central Massachusetts

Published

15 hours ago

July 8, 2026

Press Room

Cool off this summer at these 10 splash pads in central Massachusetts

Looking for a way the kids can cool off after the Fourth of July heat wave?

In addition to numerous public beaches and pools, central Massachusetts has multiple splash pads open this time of year, offering the perfect way for children to enjoy being in the water without the hassle of a beach day. While some are ticketed, many of the region’s splash pads are free, with parks, playgrounds and other recreational areas attached.

Here are 10 splash pads where you can beat the heat in central Massachusetts this summer.

Tacoma Street Spray Park

Decked out with umbrellas and chairs, green water buckets and a frog to run under, Tacoma Street Spray Park is one of Worcester’s newer spray parks, located on the 18.9-acre Tacoma Street Playground. The park also has a basketball court and picnic area.

Like all of Worcester’s splash pads, Tacoma Street Spray Park is open from noon to 7 p.m. daily through Sept. 7. Located at 345 Tacoma St. in Worcester.

Park Hill Splash Park

This small splash pad in Fitchburg features rainbow rings to run through and a large sun design painted on the ground. The splash pad is part of Park Hill Park, which also has a skateboard park, two playgrounds, a basketball court, several baseball fields and restrooms.

Park Hill Splash Park is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily from June through August. Lifeguards are always onsite, and parking is available off Pratt Road in Fitchburg.

Cowabunga Splash Park

Davis Farmland in Sterling is back for a second year with Cowabunga Splash Park, the largest zero-depth water spray park in New England. Built with a state-of-the-art, computer-controlled water filtration system, the park features every kind of mister and sprinkler imaginable, including horse cannons, a water tunnel, a water table, a toddler spray pad and more. The park also has a giant slip-and-slide, an inflatable water slide and a huge water tower.

Admission to Davis Farmland, which includes access to over 50 activities, costs $35.95 for adults or $32.95 for seniors over 60, though tickets cost more at the gate.

COWabunga Splash Park is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every day from now through Labor Day, with the water slide and slip-and-slide opening at 10:30 a.m. Davis Farmland is located at 145 Redstone Hill Road in Sterling.

Cristoforo Colombo Spray Park

Cristoforo Colombo Spray Park is a larger spray pad full of bright colors, water spouts and buckets dropping water from above. It is attached to Cristoforo Colombo Park, which also has a playground, fields, basketball courts and a baseball diamond.

The spray park is open from noon to 7 p.m. daily at 180 Shrewsbury St. in Worcester.

Fournier Park Splash Pad

Located inside the Arthur A. Fournier Sr. Memorial Park, this splash pad spouts water from various flowers, a frog and even a dragon. The water must be turned on by pressing an orange button on the pavilion side of the splash pad, and it runs for 12 to 14 minutes at a time.

This splash pad is open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., starting Memorial Day weekend and lasting through Labor Day. Located at 525 Litchfield St. in Leominster.

Ghiloni Park Splash Pad

Ghiloni Park in Marlborough also has a splash pad with flowers and frogs, located right next to the park’s playground. Water is activated by placing a hand on the sensor of the green activator pole.

The Ghiloni Park Splash Pad is open from June 2 through Sept. 7, with daily hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Located at 239 Concord Road in Marlborough.

University (Crystal) Spray Park

Just opened last year, the splash pad at Worcester’s University Park features various tall water spouts for the kids to run through, surrounded by a playground, walking trails, pond views and plenty of umbrellas.

From now through Sept. 7, the spray park is open daily from noon to 7 p.m. Located at 965 Main St. in Worcester.

Philbin Memorial Park and Splash Pad

Clinton’s Philbin Memorial Park has a newly renovated splash pad that turns on by touching the top of the red fire hydrant. The water runs for four to five cycles and then rests for 10 to 15 minutes.

Philbin’s splash pad is open daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day, with hours from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Located at Berlin and Wilson streets in Clinton.

Carbuncle Pond Splash Pad

Located right next to the beach at Carbuncle Pond, this colorful splash pad is conveniently equipped with lifeguard staffing, concessions and indoor public restrooms. Resident and nonresident passes are sold online or at the gate.

The splash pad and the beach are open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 495 Main St. in Oxford.

Greenwood Spray Park

Attached to a new playground, Greenwood Park’s splash pad has various sprinklers and buckets of water. The spray park usually has an attendant, and bathrooms are attached.

Worcester’s Greenwood Spray Park is open from noon to 7 p.m. daily through Sept. 7. Located at 14 Forsberg St. in Worcester.

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Massachusetts

Massachusetts man dies in Fiji after becoming critically ill on sailing trip

Published

1 day ago

July 8, 2026

Press Room

Massachusetts man dies in Fiji after becoming critically ill on sailing trip

A Holbrook, Massachusetts man who fell critically ill while sailing through the South Pacific has died, his family told WBZ-TV Tuesday evening.

Scott Winslow was in intensive care at a hospital in Fiji for weeks, as his family fought to get him back home so he could be treated for septic shock and a serious infection.

Winslow’s wife and two daughters had made the 8,000-mile trip to be with him and fight for his care when he died.

“We are at the hospital and just said goodbye to our father,” his daughters told WBZ-TV. “We are heartbroken.”

Winslow was traveling on his nephew’s sailboat in the South Pacific on what was supposed to be a three-month voyage when he noticed what appeared to be a bug bite.

His family isn’t sure exactly what the cause of the illness was, but his condition quickly deteriorated, and he could no longer walk once they diverted the boat to Fiji.

The family provided WBZ medical documents from doctors in Fiji, who said he needed to be evacuated to another hospital.

The family said his insurance company, Aetna, denied the transport and the medical flight to get Winslow home would have cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Winslow’s family said they had secured medical services with the Mass General Brigham group if he got back to Massachusetts.

“I don’t understand. My problem is, my parents pay for insurance, this is what insurance is for,” Lisa Babbin, Scott’s daughter told WBZ-TV earlier on Tuesday.

Before Winslow died, WBZ-TV reached out to Aetna. In a statement, a spokesperson said they were continuing to work with Winslow’s family “and his providers in Fiji to identify the best way to get him back safely to the United States for continued treatment.”

The Winslow family had also reached out the U.S. Embassy in Fiji for help securing an emergency loan.