State and local officials met Wednesday morning to discuss the ongoing ultraviolet (UV) pilot program at King’s Beach.

The program is an attempt to kill wastewater bacteria with UV light. State Rep. Jennifer Armini (D–Essex) said the group had explored alternatives such as on a “nano level” and chlorination. State Sen. Brendan Crighton (3rd Essex District) said that the UV program made the most sense financially.

“It’s a pilot…Let’s remember that,” Armini said. “We are collecting data.”

The root of King’s Beach’s water quality issues dates back nearly a century, when Stacey’s Brook, which empties into the beach, was converted into a sewer and stormwater system for Lynn and Swampscott. In other words, King’s Beach receives daily drainage, unlike most other Boston Harbor-area beaches.

“It’s an environmental issue, but it’s also an economic development issue,” said Crighton, who is also the co-chair of the Metropolitan Beaches Commission. “And it’s certainly a community health issue.” 

The Lynn Water and Sewer Commission separated the two systems about 25 years ago. Armini noted Wednesday that not all pipes may have been fully separated, and that new construction or renovations could have caused additional leaks.

Swampscott lined about half of the pipes two years ago and has begun to treat the remaining areas, but the contamination has not gone away. 

Crighton said two major components still contribute to contamination: land-based bacteria from fertilizers and untreated water.

In 2023, King’s Beach failed nearly half of its water quality tests, according to Lynn’s website. 

“King’s Beach has been closed to swimming most days due to elevated bacteria levels,” the website reads. “These elevated bacteria levels are the result of drainage flowing onto the beach from the two outfalls located at the City of Lynn /Town of Swampscott line near Eastern Avenue, Lynn Shore Drive and Humphrey Street. The red flags frequently flying at the beach indicate the water is unsafe for swimming due to bacteria levels.”

King’s Beach ranked lowest among the 15 beaches evaluated in Save the Harbor/Save the Bay’s 2024 water quality report card. The Lynn-Swampscott beach received a 66% safety score in 2024.

There was an increase in safety for King’s Beach from 2023, when the rating was 55%. However, King’s Beach hasn’t surpassed a 75% safety score since 2019. 

Since June 20, UV-treated water has consistently measured at or below 10 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters (cfu/100 ml), with the exception of June 28. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health specifies that safe waters have at or under 104 bacterial organism cfu/100 ml.

Meanwhile, culvert measurements at Swampscott and Lynn’s Stacey’s Brook have failed water quality tests more often than not. Swampscott has had more no test days, but in the tested days there have been 16 days over the safety levels out of 31 days. In Lynn, the waters were not safe in 34 out of 38 days tested.

“This proves it’s working,” said interim Town Administrator Cresta, pointing to improved results even after rain and the July 3 fireworks.

Following the UV pilot program, Crighton said he hopes to have something more permanent in place, but that money may be an issue. 

Beach goers are able to check the bacteria levels at the Department of Public Health’s interactive website. The data is on a 24-hour lag, however. 

At the time of writing, the site lists King’s Beach as open. 

“We still have a long way to go,” Cresta said. “We still will continue.”