For Immediate Release: 8/25/2017 4:01 pm
Worcester, MA (August 25, 2017) - As of 3 p.m. Friday, the City of Worcester has lifted the ban on swimming and other recreation activities on Lake Quinsigamond.
Official sample results Friday afternoon showed safe levels of bacteria across the lake.
The ban had been in place since Tuesday, when an equipment malfunction led to a computer control glitch, which ultimately resulted in the discharge of sewage to the lake. The equipment problem has been repaired and the computer glitch is being addressed through system modifications.
The pump station was completely rebuilt in 2015 with state-of-the-art controls and the latest technology to increase both its capacity and reliability.
To minimize the chance of future bypasses, each system at the pump station is being evaluated by outside experts to ensure there are no other hidden faults in the operational controls or components. Additional safety features may be added to the current system, which already includes numerous backup mechanisms, to further enhance station reliability.
