Located in Worcester County, Massachusetts, Lake Quinsigamond is a recreational body of water bordered by Worcester, Shrewsbury, and Grafton. In summer months when aquatic recreation is in high demand, contributions from streams and outfalls present challenges with water quality due to stormwater runoff in the largely urbanized bordering towns, as well as other point and nonpoint source pollution, resulting in beach closures and a lack of access to aquatic recreation for many people, some of whom have few other options available.
The Lake Quinsigamond Watershed Association (LQWA) is a volunteer-run organization founded in 1984 that aims to bring attention to the issue and enhance the quality of life in and around Lake Quinsigamond, Flint Pond, and Shirley Pond. Since its commencement in 2020, this monitoring project has utilized bi-weekly sampling from late spring to early fall at several strategic locations in and around the lake in order to monitor E. Coli levels in the watershed, with minor annual changes to site locations based on new information concerning upstream conditions.
Data collected from this project is provided to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) to aid in long-term assessment of water quality in and around Lake Quinsigamond. Data is also provided to the town of Shrewsbury and the city of Worcester to encourage action on their part to improve water quality.
Gauch Park is on the north end of the lake at the intersection of Main St and N. Quinsigamond Ave. https://bit.ly/43W8dd7
This effort is being supported by Town of Shrewsbury, City of Worcester, Rhode Island Dept of Environmental Management, New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission, Blackstone Tourism Council, and US EPA-SNEP. But we can’t do it without you!!
Spot and Remove Invasive Water Chestnuts
Water chestnut plants will start emerging in early June. Be on the watch and remove them from your shoreline or wherever you see them while boating. The black nuts you may see wash up on your shore are dead and will not sprout new plants. They have very sharp thorns, therefore you should pick up and dispose of in the trash. Plants pulled up by the roots early in the season may be composted with other yard material. They will only grow under water.
For more information and how to ID these plants, see the Worcester Blue Space Minute HERE
Review the data deliverables for the 2021 and 2022 sampling project performed in accordance with the approved 2022-2024 Water Quality Monitoring Program QAPP for “Bacterial Monitoring of Tributaries to Lake Quinsigamond”. Data deliverables include, and not limited to, sampling methodology, sampling locations with summary and site assessments, laboratory results, field observation results, quality control and quality assurance methods/results, summary reports, and supporting supplemental records.
“ABOUT BOATING SAFELY” This course is NASBLA-approved. We conduct the class in one 8-hour full session. A 50-question exam follows the class. A TEMPORARY certificate and wallet card are awarded for a passing grade and sent via email as PDF documents. The cost is $45.00 which includes the class booklet, exam, and certificate of completion.
All students must complete an additional 10-question Massachusetts Environmental Police (MEP) exam immediately upon completion of the About Boating Safely class. All exam material is discussed in the class. The completed exam will be signed by the Flotilla Commander and submit class completion information to the MEP.
In February, a malfunction at a pumping station spewed 6 million gallons of sewage into Lake Quinsigamond. Now, Worcester will spend millions to fix the problem.
WORCESTER —The city will spend an estimated $6 million to upgrade a pumping station at Lake Quinsigamond after a malfunction in February sent nearly 6 million gallons of raw sewage into the lake.
Calling the February incident a “catastrophic failure,” Philip Guerin, the city’s director of water and sewer operations, said engineering consultant Stantec has not determined what caused the malfunction.
But Stantec will test a new valve on one of the four pumps inside the station. If everything works out, all four pumps will get the valve. The existing valve installed in 2015 when the city spent $10 million to upgrade the station has not performed to expectations, Guerin said.
Valve performance is critical to pump sewage up to the top of Belmont Hill, where it’s piped underground to the Upper Blackstone sewage treatment plant on Route 20 in Millbury. If the valves don’t work, sewage can flow back into the station, cause flooding and shut down operations.
Stantec is also looking at the possibility of modifying pumps and motors inside the station.
Worcester will also spend $550,000 to replace four rented backup pumps placed outside the station after the February malfunction. The permanent replacements should be installed next month, said Guerin.
$13,000 fine
After the February incident, the state Department of Environmental Protection slapped a $13,000 fine on Worcester and required the city upgrade the station.
Besides the valve study and a close look at how pumps and motors are functioning, Worcester upgraded its alert system. An email blast will go out to roughly 300 city subscribers, said Guerin, to more quickly and efficiently notify residents when issues occur. That compares to phone calls made in February.
History of malfunctions
The pump station at 83 Lake Ave. has a history of malfunctions.
Hundreds of thousands of gallons of raw sewage poured into Lake Quinsigamond in 2017 after the 2015 upgrade. A leak in a hydraulic unit was the culprit, said Guerin.
There were also a couple of what Guerin called “smaller episodes” during upgrade construction. That project was needed, Guerin said, because the station historically didn’t have the capacity to handle wastewater overflow during heavy rainstorms.
Today, that’s not a problem because the station can pump up to 20 million gallons of sewage daily.
Problems persist
However, since the upgrade, mechanical problems persist. That is what happened in February when one of the four pumps flooded the facility, causing an electrical failure of the other pumps, releasing untreated sewage into the lake. The incident was a violation of the state Clean Water Act.
A health advisory lasted for two weeks, when residents were advised not to use the lake for recreational activities such as ice fishing near the pumping station.
Even after the upgrade, leaks and breaks happen more often than expected, said Guerin. Some mechanical parts that should last 25 years exhibited problems within five years.
Stantec spent the past 10 months to determine why the problems are happening but hasn’t found a smoking gun. So the strategy is to test the new valve, fully assess the entire operation and prevent future raw sewage leaks into Lake Quinsigamond.
“(Stantec) hasn’t identified anything definitively,” said Guerin. “It’s hard to explain why (the pump station) has done what it has done.”
April 20: School is Out, Help Stock Trout!, Worcester – Families, anglers, and others are invited to help MassWildlife stock trout during School Vacation Week! Meet MassWildlife fisheries staff, view trout up close, and learn about places to fish near you. Meet at 11 a.m. at Regatta Point in Quinsigamond State Park at 10 Lake Avenue North in Worcester.
MEETING NOTICE: Monday 3/14/22 @ 6:30pm in regards to the recent sewer pump failure at the Lake Ave pumping station that allowed nearly 6 million gallons of untreated sewage to be spilled into Lake Quinsigamond.I have been working with Senator Michael Moore’s office and we have arranged a meeting for the community to be held at the Marine Corps League at 181 Lake Ave in Worcester, on Monday 3/14/22 @ 6:30pm. They have been nice enough to allow the meeting to be held at their facility. Attending will be Senator Moore, Mayor Petty, Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson. We are also waiting on confirmation from some other city officials as well. Please come to the meeting to show your support and concern for the lake. We need people to be present and speak with our city and state officials so they know how important this is for us all and the environment. Please share this post and tell your friends and family. Thank you very much.
