Fecal coliform counts indicate potential public health threats. These four key water quality indicators are all likely to be affected over time by changes in wastewater treatment or discharges.
Monitoring takes place weekly during warmer months and biweekly during colder months.
During January, all four Harbor water quality indicators easily met State standards and MWRA water quality guidelines in both the Inner and Outer Harbor. These conditions reflect January's typical low water temperatures and the relative mildness of the weather. The format of this page has changed to better compare conditions in the Inner and Outer Harbor. These two regions are affected differently by pollutant inputs from treatment facilities, CSOs, and stormwater drains.