SWAMPSCOTT — An online petition created by the Save King’s Beach movement encouraging increased attention to the water quality of both Lynn and Nahant beaches has garnered more than 500 signatures from community members thus far.
The petition has four core statements that it asks participants to express whether or not they agree with. The statements are that King’s and Nahant Beach should be tested daily in 2025, that the testing period should be extended through Oct. 1 from its Memorial Day start, a staff member from the Department of Conservation and Recreation should be dispatched to King’s Beach on days that it is closed to inform potential visitors, and that the Lynn Water and Sewer Commission needs to conduct “systematic sewer investigation” on Lynn Shore Drive with the goal of identifying pollution causes.
The petition has the unique aspect of giving multiple response options, similar to a survey. Save King’s Beach Co-Founder Andrea Amour, of Swampscott, said she and her peers designed it that way to avoid making participants feel it was “all or nothing.”
“There were a lot of aspects that we wanted to cover… we figured it would be most efficient to have everything together and then parse it down,” Amour said. “If folks disagree with an aspect of it, then they are able to disagree at their own desire.”
She expressed specific attention toward Nahant beaches due to their most recent seasonal testing results.
According to Amour, the fourth statement of the petition regarding the Lynn Water and Sewer Commission has received unanimous approval. The first statement was inspired by actions the Swampscott Water and Sewer Advisory Committee and Department of Public Works took to test Fisherman’s Beach for Enterococci bacteria daily from five different locations.
Amour gave credit to fellow member of Save King’s Beach Lori Kotkowski of Lynn for her contributions in creating the survey and to the cause overall.
“She has so much energy,” Amour said. “She’s an absolutely outstanding person to have as a part of our leadership.”
Amour expressed her intention to present the petition’s data to the Lynn Water and Sewer Commission at its next meeting. She expressed her belief that it is a good representation of how the community is in favor of these proposed initiatives.
