SWAMPSCOTT — Lynn and Swampscott gathered at King’s Beach for a ribbon-cutting event at the UV pilot program, coming together to recognize the effort taken to clean up the beach.
Residents and elected officials gathered under the sun Friday morning to celebrate the occasion. Speakers included Lynn Mayor Jared C. Nicholson, Congressman Seth Moulton, State Sen. Brendan Crighton, and State Rep. Jenni Armini, along with the UV pilot program interns.
“We are marking the installation of the temporary UV pilot to clean up King’s Beach, and today’s event is about letting people know of the exciting work that’s happening, and also a chance to thank the folks that have been involved,” Nicholson said.
Executive Director of Save the Harbor/Save the Bay Chris Mancini echoed that sentiment, as well as the need to keep going.
“We know the UV is working, we know that source elimination is progressing, and we have to keep doing something after today, to keep working on this issue,” Mancini said. “When this pilot program goes away, we have to find a permanent solution.”
Moulton noted that while problems with the water quality date back as far as 1891, the pilot program represents “an example of government getting things done.”
Interim Town Administrator and Director of the Department of Public Works Gino Cresta said the day was about a partnership between the two communities.
“Prior to 2015, there was a lot of finger pointing where people said, ‘It’s Lynn’s problem,’ or, ‘It’s Swampscott’s problem,’ but it’s a problem for Swampscott and Lynn,” Cresta said.
He explained both the city and the town have been contributing to the problem, and “unless we fix our problems, the beaches will still be closed.”
He called the collaboration between Swampscott and Lynn “phenomenal, and I think we’re at a real good point right now.”
Former Water and Sewer Advisory Committee Chair and King’s Beach advocate Liz Smith said the event is a “huge milestone.”
Smith said the work entailed represents a culmination of “so many stake holders trying to solve and mitigate a problem that’s over a hundred years old.
“We’re seeing great results — we don’t have any conclusions yet, we haven’t analyzed all the data — but it’s very encouraging, and unless there’s a stoppage of the machinery, or a lot of rain, it is working the way it’s supposed to work, and we’re learning every day,” Smith said.
Crighton said the event was an opportunity to express thanks to “countless stakeholders who have supported our efforts.
“We’ll continue to focus on source elimination and attack the root of the problem, but we also recognize doing that alone won’t be enough, and we need to have a treatment plan for the future,” Crighton said.
Armini elaborated, saying this type of initiative represents “the kind of bold moves that people want and deserve from their government.
“While Washington (D.C.) can’t get its act together, clearly, we can,” she said.
A UV pilot program intern for Lynn, Olivia Howe, shared her thoughts on the matter. “This program is not just about cleaning King’s Beach. It’s about investing in our future,” Howe said.
An intern for Swampscott, Maya Beisheim, also commented.
“We’re not just standing still. We are actively working toward a solution. This program is still in its early stages, but the data we are collecting is promising,” Beisheim said.
