New Bedford's Snow Piles Provide Unexpected Benefits

Melting snow helps replenish groundwater and improve water quality, even as cities struggle to manage excess snowfall.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

New Bedford residents have been dealing with large snow piles around the city, but these piles are actually providing an unexpected benefit. As the snow melts slowly, it helps replenish the region's groundwater and improve water quality by filtering out pollutants, rather than having them wash directly into local waterways during heavy rainfall. This is especially important as the area has faced drought conditions in recent years. While some cities have resorted to snow melters or dumping snow, New Bedford is letting nature take its course and allowing the snow to melt gradually.

Why it matters

Southeastern Massachusetts has experienced mild to significant drought in recent years, and the slow melting of large snow piles is crucial for replenishing groundwater and soil moisture levels. This helps stave off future drought conditions and improves the overall health of the local watershed, which had previously seen pollutants washed directly into waterways during heavy rain events.

The details

As the snow piles melt slowly, the water is able to filter through the ground, allowing heavy metals, oil, gasoline, and other contaminants to be filtered out before reaching local waterways like New Bedford Harbor. This is preferable to heavy rainfall events, which can quickly wash pollutants off streets and into rivers and bays. New Bedford has opted to let the snow melt naturally at storage sites, rather than using snow melters like some other cities.

  • New Bedford has had large snow piles lining the streets for weeks.
  • As of Wednesday, there were an estimated 70,000 cubic yards of snow at the Aerovox facility and 15,000 cubic yards at the Cannon Street Power Station.
  • Temperatures are expected to reach the mid-50s later this week, which should help decrease the snow piles.

The players

Mark Rasmussen

The executive director of the Buzzards Bay Coalition, an environmental nonprofit that monitors the health of New Bedford's watershed.

Jamie Ponte

The Superintendent of the New Bedford Department of Public Infrastructure.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“In some ways, the snow is actually capturing [pollutants], to the extent that snow is stockpiled and allowed to melt on land, which is the preferred policy that most cities and towns follow, and that is better than rain runoff.”

— Mark Rasmussen, Executive Director, Buzzards Bay Coalition (newbedfordlight.org)

“For a lot of periods this winter the snow hasn't completely gone away very quickly. And when that happens, it's slowly seeping into the ground, replenishing aquifers and wetlands and soil, and this is all great for the watershed.”

— Mark Rasmussen, Executive Director, Buzzards Bay Coalition (newbedfordlight.org)

What’s next

As temperatures rise, the remaining snow piles in New Bedford are expected to continue melting, providing ongoing benefits for the local water supply and watershed.

The takeaway

While unsightly, New Bedford's snow piles are actually helping the region by replenishing groundwater and filtering out pollutants, providing a valuable service during an extended drought period. This highlights how natural processes can sometimes provide unexpected environmental benefits, even in urban areas.