Is it safe to swim in Milton, Braintree and Quincy's beaches and ponds on Tuesday?

Houghton's Pond in Milton continues to be closed to swimming Tuesday due to high bacteria levels, as is Smith Beach in Braintree, according to a daily water quality report from the state.

Wollaston Beach is open after multiple areas along the water had been closed over the last several days. All other city-managed beaches and ponds in Quincy are open as of the town's latest update. To check on the status of Quincy's swimming areas, call 617-376-1288.

The state Department of Conservation and Recreation posts twice-daily water quality test results for beaches and ponds under its purview at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on the Mass.gov website.

Department officials said the technology currently available takes 24 hours to return results, meaning by the time the posting goes up, the information is not current. Residents are encouraged to wait for 24 hours after a closure posting before checking back to see if a swimming area has reopened.

Closure notices are posted at the individual locations.

Do you worry about the bacteria?How is the water quality at Quincy and Hull beaches in general?

Nantasket Beach in Hull and Wollaston Beach in Quincy are among 15 metro and greater Boston beaches whose overall water safety scores are included in Save the Harbor/Save the Bay’s 2023 Beach Season Water Quality Report Card.