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Annual public swim in once-polluted Boston river cancelled

Credit: Isaac Wedin

 

BOSTON — There will be no swimming in that dirty water for Bostonians this summer.

The Charles River Conservancy says it's cancelling its annual "City Splash" event this year. The event was one of the few state-sanctioned days for public swimming in the once-industrial river, which gained notoriety in the Standells' 1960s hit "Dirty Water."

Nearly 300 swimmers participated last July.

The conservancy made the announcement earlier this month, shortly after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported the river scored an A-minus for water quality in 2017. It was one of the highest marks the 80-mile river has received in decades.

Organizers say they're instead focusing on their campaign to create a floating dock in the Charles where visitors can swim within an enclosed portion of the river.