Thunder Bridge Park & Beach

Thunder Bridge Park and Beach is located on East Street at the Ipswich River.  From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the beach is open daily to MIDDLETON RESIDENTS ONLY from dawn to dusk.

IS IT SAFE TO SWIM ?

green check

Water that is used for recreation use by the public, like Thunder Bridge Beach, is tested weekly to ensure the safety of patrons. The water is tested in order to see levels of bacteria that are in the water, that can be harmful to humans, when at certain levels. Bacterial levels can and tend to change over time due to many things, like rain, defecation from animals like waterfowl, and the dropping of trash/plant matter into the water. All these add bacteria to the water, and once dispersed, the levels can rise to unsafe amounts.

The main strain of bacteria that is tested for is E. coli. In regard to testing, freshwater E. coli can’t exceed 235 colonies per 100 ml.

e-coli

Escherichia coli (E. coli) are bacteria found in the environment, foods, and intestines of people and animals. They are a large and diverse group of bacteria. Strains that are harmless, and others that can make you sick. Harmful kinds of E. coli can cause diarrhea, while others cause urinary tract infections, respiratory illness, pneumonia, and other illnesses. 


For more information, see E. coli CDC.