POLLUTION OF NASHUA RIVER AND
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT
Merrimack River Project
U. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
Public Health Service
Division of Water Supply and Pollution Control
Region I
Lawrence, Massachusetts
JULY 1965
-------
POLLUTION OF NASHUA RIVER AND
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT
Herbert R. Pahren, Director
Merrimack River Project
Merrimack River Project
U. S. Department.of Health, Education, and Welfare
Public Health Service
Division of Water Supply and Pollution Control
Region I
Lawrence, Massachusetts
JULY 1965
-------
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page No.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ii
RECOMMENDATIONS ..... iv
INTRODUCTION , 1
SOURCES OF POLLUTION 2
EFFECTS OF POLLUTION ON STREAM AND WATER USES . 2
WATER QUALITY OBJECTIVES 5
RECOMMENDED LIMITS 'AND EFFECTS ON STREAM . 7
REFERENCES 11
APPENDICES 13
-------
ii
SUMMARY AMD CONCLUSIONS
The Nashua River Basin was included in the Conference in the matter
of Pollution of the Interstate and Massachusetts Intrastate Waters of the
Merrimack and Nashua Rivers held in Boston, Massachusetts on February 11,
196^. This report discusses the degree of remedial action necessary to
secure abatement of the Nashua River pollution.
Serious pollution exists in the North Nashua River from the
Weyerhaeuser Paper Company, Fitchburg, Massachusetts to the confluence
of the north and south branches of the Nashua River at Lancaster, Mass.
and in the Nashua River from Lancaster to the mouth of the Nashua River in
New Hampshire. This pollution prevents the use of the stream for legitimate
water uses.
.The principal causes of the pollution of the Nashua River are the
discharges from paper mills of suspended solids, organic matter causing
biochemical oxygen demand, and materials discoloring the stream. By far
the largest loadings emanate from the three paper industries of Fitchburg,
Massachusetts. Inadequate sewage treatment at Fitchburg, Massachusetts
and the discharges by non-paper industries of materials causing biochemical
oxygen demand also contribute to the problem.
The Nashua River system has been classified for future highest use
by the state and interstate agencies. However, the Class D classification
of the North Nashua River below the Weyerhaeuser Paper Cbmpany and the
Nashua River above the Harvard-Bolton town line does not permit the
-------
ill
development of any recreational use of the river as desired "by citizens
of the area.
The facilities to achieve the pollution abatement measures recommended
are not to be considered the ultimate requirement, but only a first step.
Future development of the Nashua River Basin may dictate higher degrees
of waste treatment at some future date.
-------
iv
RECOMMENDATIONS
In order to achieve the desired water quality in the Nashua River
system it is recommended that specific limits be placed on the pollu-
tional constituents discharged by each paper industry. The following
are the limits recommended for the pollutional constituents added to the
receiving stream by each paper industry:
Weyerhaeuser Paper Company
Suspended solids - 2,500 pounds per day
Biochemical oxygen demand - 1,500 pounds per day
Materials causing discoloration of the receiving stream shall be
reduced sufficiently so that such discoloration is not unduly
noticeable.
Fitchburg Paper Company
Suspended solids - 1,300 pounds per day-
Biochemical oxygen demand - 800 pounds per day
Materials causing discoloration of the receiving stream shall be
reduced sufficiently so that such discoloration is not unduly
noticeable.
Falulah Paper Company
Suspended solids - 900 pounds per day
Biochemical oxygen demand - 1,100 pounds per day
Materials causing discolorations of the receiving stream shall be
reduced sufficiently so that such discoloration is not unduly
noticeable.
-------
Mead Corporation
Suspended solids - 450 pounds per day
Biochemical oxygen demand - 450 pounds per day
Materials causing discoloration of the receiving stream shall be
reduced sufficiently so that such discoloration is not unduly
noticeable.
Hollingsvorth & Vose Company
Suspended solids - 250 pounds per day
Biochemical oxygen demand - 600 pounds per day
Materials causing discoloration of the receiving stream shall be
reduced sufficiently so that such discoloration is not unduly
noticeable.
Groton Leather Board Company
Suspended solids - 250 pounds per day
Biochemical oxygen demand - 200 pounds per day
Materials causing discoloration of the receiving stream shall be
reduced sufficiently so that such discoloration is not unduly
noticeable.
St. Regis Paper Company
Suspended solids - 800 pounds per day
Biochemical oxygen demand - 900 pounds per day
Materials causing discoloration of the receiving stream shall be
reduced sufficiently so that such discoloration is. not unduly
noticeable.
-------
vi
Non-paper waste discharges are also to "be treated to a satisfactory
degree prior to being discharged to the receiving stream. Each of these
discharges with inadequate treatment will be discussed.
Fitchburg
Facilities to provide secondary treatment of all dry-weather
municipal wastes are to be provided.
Pepperell
Facilities are to be provided that will result in compliance with the
classification of the Nashua River.
Simonds Saw and Steel Company
Wastes are to receive treatment commensurate with the degree of
treatment provided other wastes in the Fitchburg area.
Foster Grant Company
Wastes are to receive treatment commensurate with the degree of .
treatment provided other wastes in the Leominster area.
The discharge of any industrial waste into a municipal system: is
satisfactory if arrangements can be made and satisfactory treatment is
provided by the municipality.
Preliminary plans for the pollution abatement program for the Nashua
River Valley are to be completed and submitted to the Massachusetts
Department of Public Health not later than September 1965. Following the
review of the plans and adjustments if any, the design and installation
of facilities to reduce the waste loads to the Nashua River system are to
proceed forthwith. Unless arrangements are made to have a municipality
assume responsibility for and is accepting the wastes from any of the
-------
vii
industries listed, the facilities to achieve the recommendations for
each industry are to be completed and in operation no later than
July 1, 1968. Construction of the necessary sewage treatment facilities
for Fitchburg and Pepperell is to "be under way prior to July 1, 1968.
-------
POLLUTION OF NASHUA RIVER AND
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT
INTRODUCTION
The Nashua River Basin was included in the Conference in the Matter
of Pollution of the Interstate and Massachusetts Intrastate Waters of the
Merrimack and Nashua Rivers held in Boston, Massachusetts on February 11,
1964. The sources of Nashua River pollution and the effect on water
quality were described at the Conference; ' A sketch showing the Nashua
River is presented in Figure 1.
Subsequent to the Conference, Secretary Celebrezze recommended that
a pollution abatement program commensurate with that on the Merrimack
River be established for Massachusetts communities and industries in the
Massachusetts portion of the Nashua River Valley with all preliminary plans
completed and submitted to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health
not later than September 1965.
At the program review of the Merrimack River Project held February 25,
1965, a brief discussion was held on the degree of remedial action which is
necessary to secure abatement of the Nashua River pollution. The review
committee suggested that the Merrimack River Project develop a brief
report outlining the wastes to be expected from each industry after the
wastes have been reduced with good housekeeping practices and treatment,
and the effect of residual loadings on the Nashua River. This report
fulfills the request of the program review committee.
-------
_ NEW HAMPSHIRE
MASSACHUSETTS
N
MERRIMACK RIVER PROJECT
NASHUA RIVER
SYSTEM
CLINTON
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. EDUCATION. & WELFARE
Public Health Service
Region I Lawrence.Mass.
FIGURE I
-------
SOURCES OP POLLUTION
Estimates have been made of the waste discharges to the Nashua River
and its tributaries'within Massachusetts. These-estimates are based on
x
surveys by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the National
Council for Stream Improvement and are summarized in Table I.
Tremendous quantities of suspended solids and oxygen demanding
organic matter are discharged to the Nashua River. Most of this is
discharged by the paper mills in the Basin. For example, 95 percent of
the suspended solids and 80.8 percent of the biochemical oxygen demand
discharged to the Nashua River in Massachusetts come from the paper mills.
By far the largest loadings emanate from the three paper industries of
Fitchburg, Massachusetts.
Materials used in the paper making process also impart a white color
to the stream. The North Nashua River from Weyerhaeuser Paper Company at
Fitchburg, Massachusetts to its mouth and an extensive section of the
Nashua River have a white appearance from these pollutants.
EFFECTS OF POLLUTION ON STREAM AND WATER USES
Data were collected during 1962 and 1963 in the Nashua River Basin
by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the National Council
(2)
for Stream Improvement} ' The dissolved oxygen on the days samples were
collected was approximately 80 percent of saturation in the North Nashua
River above Fitchburg, Massachusetts. However, the dissolved oxygen de-
-------
TABLE I
Estimated Characteristics of Sewage and Industrial Wastes
Discharged to the Nashua River and Tributaries.within Massachusetts
Population Equivalents Discharged
Discharge
Gushing Academy
State Hospital (Gardner)
Weyerhaeuser Paper Co.
Fitchburg Paper Co.
Simonds Saw & Steel Co.
Falulah Paper Co.
Fitchburg
Mead Corporation
Foster Grant Co.
Leominster
Atlantic Union College
Clinton
Girls Industrial School
Ayer
Hollingsworth & Vose Co.
Groton Leatherboard Co.
Grot on School
St. Regis Paper Co.
Pepper ell
TOTAL
Treatment and/or
Waste Reduction Measures
Secondary with Cl?
Secondary with Clp
Save-alls, wastes recirculated,
starch substitution, settling
Save-alls, wastes recirculated
retention aids
None
Wastes recirculated, chemical
precipitation, vacuum filtration
of sludge
Inadequate secondary
Starch substitution, wastes
recirculated
None
Secondary
Partly primary, partly secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Settling, wastes recirculated
Settling, wastes recirculated
Secondary
Save-alls, wastes recirculated
None
Bacterial
Number % Total
3
16
- -
-
.. -
-
18,900
-
-
2,700
210
1,300
15
375
-
-
8
-
200
23,727
0.01
0.07
-
_
-
-
79-66
_
_
11.38
0.89
5.^8
0.06
1.58
-
-
0.03
-
0.8k
100.0
Suspended
Number . ^
^5
80
181*, 600
108,200
-
115,1*00
20,700
30,300
-
3,200
210
1,560
18
750
1,^70
5,880
10
61*, 700
200
537,323
Solids
& Total
0.01
0.02
3^.36
20.11*
21.1*7
3.85
5.61*
-
0.60
o.ok
0.29
-
O.ll*
0.27
1.09
-
12.. Ok
0.0k
10O.O
Oxygen
Number
30
80
39,650
-•
37,060
5,800
27,9^0
19,500
5,700
2,500
2,ll*0
280
l;0l*0
18
500
6,650
2,120
10
16,200
200
167,^18
Demand
% Total
0.02
0.05
23.68
22. Ik
3.k6
16.69
11.61*
3.^0
1.1*9
1.28
0.17
0.62
0.01
0.30
3.97
1.27
0.01
9.68
0.12
100.0
-------
3
creased rapidly between Fitchburg and Leominster to as low as 20 percent
of saturation. Reaeration from rapids increased the dissolved oxygen in
some reaches but was inadequate to prevent excessive depletion. The Nashua
River below the Worth Nashua River confluence was also in very poor con-
dition. Throughout most of its length in Massachusetts, the dissolved
oxygen was less than 50 percent of saturation and at times was at or near
zero for -considerable distances. Limited sampling by the Merrimack River
Project in 196^ and June 1965 showed zero dissolved oxygen at times in the
Nashua River in Massachusetts and in New Hampshire.
Intense algal blooms have been observed in the Nashua River in
Pepperell, Massachusetts and in New Hampshire. Dissolved oxygen data
obtained near the Massachusetts-New Hampshire state line indicate typical
effects of the algae where oxygen is produced by these plants during the
daylight but not at night. The diurnal fluctuation resuits "in ranges of
oxygen from supersaturation to zero.
During the period July lH-2^, 1963 countless thousands of non-game
fish were killed in the Nashua River near the Massachusetts-New Hampshire
state line. The area affected covered 15 to 20 miles of stream. Observers
attributed the kill to depletion of dissolved oxygen.
Suspended solids are also a problem in the Nashua River. Paper
fibers can be seen along the banks of the stream, deposited there during
higher flows. The stream passes through a number of ponds and impound-
ments, resulting in settling of the suspended matter. The solids decompose
on the bottom, and in many cases the decomposition gases buoy up the sludge
and the black sludge floats on the stream surface causing very unsightly
conditions.
-------
A "bottom sample was taken in the Nashua River canal at the Route 3
by-pass bridge in August l$6k. During low flows all of the river is
diverted into the canal. The bottom consisted mostly of organic sludge
and contained 8,210 biological organisms per square meter. Of these,
99-2 percent were sludge worms, midge fly larvae, and midge fly pupae—
organisms which are tolerant to pollution. No pollution sensitive
organisms were found.
Inorganic materials used to impart a white color to the paper
products are contained in the discharges to the stream, resulting in an
intensely colored stream for many miles. Much of the coloring material
is in suspended form and forms part of the stream turbidity.
Bacteriological analyses were made on samples from the Nashua River
Basin during June 15-17, 19&5- The total coliform densities are shown in
Figure 2. As may be noted, the coliform values are relatively high in the
Fitchburg-Leominster section of the North Nashua River, indicating sewerage
system deficiencies or operational problems.
Nashua River water is used for industrial process water by several of
the paper industries. Where necessary to precondition the water, facilities
ranging from coarse sand filters to ion exchange processes are used.
Because of the polluted conditions in the Nashua River, it is not
used for fishing. This river is populated by various types of coarse fish
in the New Hampshire section. Based on the character of the stream, it
appears that improvement of its water quality would make recreational
fishing possible.
-------
0,000,000
1,000,000
loopoo
o
o
10,000
z
oc
o
a.
o 1,000
o
u
o
-------
WATER QUALITY OBJECTIVES
Water quality has been a problem in the Nashua River for many
decades. In fact this river has been cited in the report of the New
England New York Inter-Agency Committee as being "outstanding for its
absolute worthlessness as a fish stream" because of the pollution.
However, citizens living downstream from the sources of pollution
wish to improve the water quality in the Nashua River Basin. At a public
meeting held September 17, 1964 at Lancaster, Massachusetts, the Nashua
River Study Committee pointed out that the people of the area wish to use
the Nashua River for recreational purposes. A communication, shown in the
Appendix, expresses the conclusions of the group and the officials of the
town of Lancaster, Massachusetts concerning the water quality objectives
for.the Nashua River.
At a meeting held November 12, 196^, in-Nashua, New Hampshire, the
Technical Subcommittee of the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control
Commission discussed the existing classification of the Nashua River. It
was agreed that the North Nashua River was Class E, in nuisance condition,
from the< Weyerhaeuser Paper Company discharge to the confluence of the
North and South Branches of the Nashua River. It was further agreed that
the Nashua River was Class E from this confluence to Hollis Depot, New
Hampshire, and Class D from Hollis Depot to the mouth of the Nashua River.
A chart showing the classification system is presented in the Appendix.
-------
6
On April 27, 1965 the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the New Hampshire
Water Pollution Commission and the New England Interstate Water Pollution
Control Commission classified the Nashua River for future highest use. The
North Nashua River was classified "B" above Weyerhaeuser Paper Company at
Fitchburg and Class D from Weyerhaeuser to the confluence of the North and
South Branches of the Nashua River. The Nashua River was classified "D"
from the confluence of the North and South Branches to the Harvard-Bolton
town line, 3.9 miles below the confluence. This river was then classified
"G" with the dissolved oxygen modified to four parts per million from the
Harvard-Bolton line to Unkety Brook, 0.7 miles upstream of the Massachusetts-
New Hampshire state line. The Nashua River was classified "C", without
modification, from Unkety Brook to its mouth.
With Class D waters only a minimum amount of dissolved oxygen would be
required, so as to avoid septic conditions. According to the New England
Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission classification system the
Class D section of the river would not be suitable for recreational use but
would be suitable for transportation of sewage and industrial wastes without
nuisance. Therefore if the stream is not better than Class D, the part of
the Nashua River system thus classificed would be unsuitable for the uses
desired by the Town of Lancaster.
In considering the future condition and uses of a stream, attention
should be given not only to present population and industrial discharges,
but also to future population, expansion of industrial capacity, and the
possible introduction of new industries into the area. Water quality
should be set sufficiently high and waste loadings must be sufficiently
-------
7
low so that economic growth is not hindered and the maximum beneficial use
is made of the stream.
It would not be proper to condemn a portion of the Nashua River
system to a status where it is only "suitable for transportation of
sewage and industrial wastes without nuisance." This is especially true
since means are presently available to substantially correct the pollution
problem. Waste discharges should therefore be controlled to allow economic
growth of the area and some recreational use of the river. To achieve these
objectives the principal controls should be placed on discharges of sus-
pended solids, materials causing biochemical oxygen demand, color and
bacteria.
RECOMMENDED LIMITS AND EFFECTS ON STREAM
The available data from each Nashua River paper industry were analyzed
from the standpoint of the type of product and mill capacity. Data were
then obtained on the expected discharge per unit of production from typical
mills throughout the country producing the same type of product. '^'^ '
These unit waste loads, without treatment, from properly designed and
operated paper mills were applied to each paper mill in the Nashua River
Basin producing the same type of product. Then considering the treatability
of the resulting waste loads and the production capafcity, limits of sus-
pended solids and biochemical oxygen demand discharged to the Nashua River-
were derived for each paper industry. A summary of these recommended
limits, along with the actual waste loads during 1962 and 1963 as measured
by the National Council for Stream Improvement are presented in Table II.
-------
TABLE II
Summary of Paper Industry Waste Loads
and Recommended Limits Added to Stream
Paper Industry
Weyerhaeuser Company
Fitchburg Paper Co.
Falulah Paper Co.
Mead Corporation
Hollingsworth & Vose Co.
Groton Leather Board Co.
Principal
Product
Book
Bond and
Specialty
Board
Board
Specialty
Stereotype
Dry Mats
Capacity
Tons
Per Day
375
200
90
1*3
1*5
30*
Suspended Solids, PPD Added
1962
26,lf72
16,11*0
26,103
4,205
1,750
886
1963
31,376
18, 400
19,600
5,150
250
1,000
HEW Limit
2,500
1,300
900
1*50
250
250
BOD, PPD Added
1962
13,9^5
4,550
5,1*60
1,960
1,1*60
31*0
1963
6,71*1
6,300
1*,750
975
1,130
360
HEW Limit
1,500
800
1,100
1*50
600
200
St. Regis Paper Co.
Kraft
115
16,600 11,000
800
3,500
2,750
900
^Estimated
-------
8
In arriving at these limits, it wad considered essential that the
mills reduce their waste load to the maximum extent by means of physical
processes. A combination of settling, flotation and coagulation is needed
in some cases.
Substantially all of the suspended solids must be removed from the
wastes discharged if sludge deposits are to be prevented in the downstream
ponds. Not only settleable solids should be removed but other suspended
matter as well.
Tests by the National Council for Stream Improvement indicated that
a significant amount of biochemical oxygen demand would be removed from the
wastes of the Nashua River paper mills by plain sedimentation. However,
this degree of BOD removal is still considered inadequate to .protect the
desired future uses of the Nashua River. Residual BOD would be reduced by
the bacteria of the receiving stream but in doing so the bacteria produce
0.5 pounds of living suspended matter that can settle and produce sludge for
each pound of BOD removed. ' The biological sludge produced may cause
nuisance conditions during warm weather. Removal of additional BOD by
flotation, coagulation, or other processes would provide a more suitable
effluent and will result in better stream conditions.
The appearance of a stream does not necessarily indicate its quality,
but if no effort has been exerted to remove the most obvious pollution, the
public frequently assumes that little effort has been expended to remove
the other forms. Often it is easier to reduce the color of an effluent
than to erase erroneous: conceptions from the minds of observers.
Most of the white color seen in the Nashua River system is caused by
-------
9
materials in suspended or colloidal form. Therefore, it should not be
difficult to remove substantially all of the color at the same time the
suspended solids and BOD are reduced to desired levels. It should be the
j
objective to reduce the materials causing color to such an extent that the
artificial color from the paper mills is not unduly noticeable in the
stream.
Figure 3 shows the calculated.dissolved oxygen levels in the North
Nashua and Nashua Rivers under several assumed conditions. It also presents
the minimum dissolved oxygen levels required by the classification. For the
f
Class D section where the dissolved oxygen must be greater than zero, a
value of 1.0 mg/1 was selected for convenience of presentation.
For the calculations, the low-seven-day average flow occurring once in
five years was used. The curve showing the conditions with present discharges
neglects the effects of sludge deposits as there are insufficient data avail-
able to properly take the deposits into accounts. In spite of this, the
calculated dissolved oxygen would be zero for many miles of stream at the
flow assumed.
The curve showing the dissolved oxygen in the stream if the industrial
discharges are limited to the loads recommended at present production
levels, indicates that the oxygen would be adequate. When the recommended
limit of .BOD per unit of production is used with the production expected
by 1985> a minimum dissolved oxygen of about 3-7 mg/1 results. The in-
creased production for future years is based on the U. S. Forest Service
(7)
projected paper and board production for Massachusetts. ' It was assumed
that the Nashua River paper mills would increase their production in the
-------
o
oe
D
CO
o
7
f
\ «
O
z
i
•z.
o 4
X
Q 3
UJ
O 2
to
(O
Q
0
•
Ji ojj
__ ar ^ —
I _ a or
O w X 2
z J *"«
A\ °4
VI
f
O
X >
A
\
\
9
1
o
\
\
' X
X
X
X
\
V
, v \
\ \.
*v*^' s
\
\
\
\
0 'WORTH
NASHU
| RIVER
\ '[
o
\
O :
0
Ml
X -*
o i
" 2 t
1 " ^
z oe u! *"
< ui a! w
3> T
S« 1
i
**
^
**
s
• '
f 1 ^
/°\
50 40
LES ABOVE MOUTH OF
*
s*
NAJ
Rl
/
^ '
— — ""^ '
- " " *
^ /
*^^ S
/
.^'^'
>HUA /
VER /
1
o
/*
O
MINIMUM DISSOLVED OXYGEN
J^ OF CLASSIFICATION
(2 CONDITION WITH MAXIMUM IN-PLANT
;-» BOD REDUCTION PLUS 85 PERCENT
1 ADDITIONAL
\ CONDITION WITH RECOMMENDED BOD
^^
^o
a1*****"^ \
? \
It
\
30 20
NASHUA RIVER
LIMIT WITH PRESENT PRODUCTION
CONDITION WITH RECOMMENDED BOD
LIMIT WITH 1985 PRODUCTION
— o— CALCULATED PRESENT CONDITIONS
s
MERRIMACK RIVER PROJECT
DISSOLVED OXYGEN CONDITIONS
10 NORTH NASHUA & NASHUA RIVERS
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. EDUCATION JL WELFARE
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE
Region 1 Lawrence, Maes.
FIGURE 3
-------
10
same proportion as the projected increase for the State. Thus with the
recommended limits, the Nashua River would be satisfactory from the stand-
point of dissolved oxygen for almost the next 20 years. At that time it
may be necessary to reconsider the degree of waste, treatment needed.
Figure 3 also shows conditions of the Nashua River if the paper
industries effected maximum in-plant BOD reduction and, in addition,
reduced the resulting BOD load by 85 percent. This curve assumes pro-
duction will be at present levels and shows the maximum possible dissolved
oxygen in the stream. These extreme waste reductions are not recommended
because the future stream uses would not require the dissolved oxygen
levels to be as high as those resulting from this degree of treatment and
the additional cost would be high. However, the limits recommended in
Table II, although difficult to attain in several instances, would result
in very satisfactory stream quality at present, with assimilative capacity
remaining for future economic development.
-------
11
REFERENCES
1. Conference in the Matter of Pollution of the Interstate and
Massachusetts Intrastate Waters of the Merrimack and Nashua
Rivers, Boston, Massachusetts, February 11, 196^, U. S. De-
partment of Health, Education, and Welfare, Washington 25, D. C,
2. Final Report - Nashua River Survey, submitted by The National
Council for Stream Improvement, New York, New York, January 15,
3- The Resources of the New England - New York Region, Part Two,
Chapter XV, Merrimack River Basin, New England, New York, Inter-
Agency Committee,
U. Pulp, Paper and Paperboard, Harry W. Gelm, contained in' ACS
Monograph No. 118, Industrial Wastes - Their Disposal and Treat-
ment , Reinhold Publi shing Corporation, 1953 •
5. White Water Wastes from Paper and Paperboard Mills, New England
Interstate Water .Pollution Control Commission, Boston 8, Mass.,
December 1963.
6. Unpublished data on wastes from paper and paperboard mills in
files of Merrimack River .Project, U. S. Department .of Health,
Education, and Welfare, Lawrence, Massachusetts.
-------
12
7. New England Economic Survey, State Projections, Projected
Employment and Production in the Forest Industries in New
England by States, Prepared by the Northeast Forest Experiment
Station, U. S. Forest Service, July
-------
13
APPENDICES
-------
TOWN OF LANCASTER, MASSACHUSETTS '
NASHUA RIVER STUDY COMMITTEE
1 Buttonwood Lane
Lancaster, Mass.
April 1, 1965
Mr. Herbert R. Pahren, Director
Merrimack River Project,DWSPC
U. S. Public Health Service
37 Shattuck Street
Lawrence, Massachusetts 018^3
Dear Mr. Pahren:
We have received a letter from Mrs. Mildred B. Smith, Sanitary Engineer of the
Water Supply and Pollution Control Branch of the Department of Health, Edu-
cation and Welfare, in which she has stated that the department is interested
in the statement of the desired objectives for water quality of the Nashua
River.
After meeting with the Board of Selectmen of Lancaster, and in consequence of
earlier meetings with other officials of the Department of Public Health, our
committee has concluded that our ultimate objective would be Classification B
for the Nashua River. Our efforts along with proposed combined efforts of
other towns in the Nashua River Basin will be toward that objective. It may
interest you to know at this time that our committee is presently attempting
to organize on a regional basis, similar committees in all towns in the Nashua
River Basin with a view toward disseminating information regarding pollution
control and steps to be taken on the local level which will be helpful in
improving the condition of this River.
We would appreciate being advised of any new developments along pollution
control lines so that we may alert interested parties through our proposed
newspaper releases.
Thanking you for any assistance you can provide us in this regard, I remain,
Very truly yours,
John E. Burgoyne
Chairman
JEBtcp
-------
HEW ENGLAND INTERSTATE WATER POLLUTION CONTROL COMMISSION
Classification and Standards of Quality for Interstate Waters
(As Revised and Adopted October 1. 1959)
CLASS A
CLASS B
CLASS C
CLASS D
Suitability for Use
Suitable for any water
use. Character uni-
formly excellent.
Suitable for bathing
and recreation, irri-
gation and agricultural
uses; good fish habitat;
good aesthetic value.
Acceptable for public
water supply with
filtration and disin-
fection.
Suitable for recrea-
tional boating,
irrigation of crops
not used for con-
sumption without
cooking; habitat
for wildlife and
common food and
game fishes in-
digenous to the
region; industrial
cooling and most
industrial process
uses.
Suitable for trans-
portation of sewage
and industrial
wastes without -nui-
sance, and for
power, navigation
and certain in-
dustrial uses.
Standards of Quality
Dissolved oxygen
Oil and grease
Odor, scum, floating
solids, or debris
Sludge deposits
Color and turbidity
Phenols or other taste
•producing substances
Substances potentially
toxic
Free acids or alkalies
Radioactivity
Not less than 75% sat.
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
Not less than 75% sat. Not less than 5 p.p.m
No appreciable amount Not objectionable
None None
None None
Not objectionable Not objectionable
None None
Not in toxic con-
None centrations or
combinations
None None
. Present at all times
Not objectionable
Not objectionable
Not objectionable
Not objectionable '.
Not in toxic con- !
centrations or !
combinations i
Not in objectionable
amounts
Within limits approved by the appropriate State agency with consideration of possible adverse
effects in downstream waters from discharge of radioactive wastes; limits in a particular water-
shed to be resolved when necessary after consultation between States involved.
Coliform bacteria
i
* Within limits ap-
proved by State De-
partment of Health
for uses involved.
Bacterial content of
bathing waters shall
meet limits approved
by State Department of
Health and acceptability
will depend on sanitary
survey.
* Sea waters used for the taking of market shellfish shall not have a median coliform content in excess of 70 per 100 ml.
SOTE: Waters falling below these descriptions are considered as unsatisfactory and as Class E.
These standards do not apply to conditions brought about by natural causes.
For purpose of distinction as to use, waters used or proposed for public water supply shall be so designated.
------- |