Overview
- A 42-inch pressurized sewer force main at Haverhill’s South Mill Street pump station ruptured during Friday’s heavy storm and crews found a second break while inspecting the line.
- City officials estimate about 8 to 10 million gallons of untreated wastewater have been entering the Merrimack River each day since the failures.
- Contractors are working around the clock to fuse and place temporary bypass pipelines that officials say should reduce or halt the river discharge within 24 to 72 hours pending installation.
- Multiple North Shore beaches have been closed to swimming and several shellfish growing areas are under precautionary closure while state agencies run bacterial and pollutant tests to set reopening dates.
- Officials say drinking water is unaffected, state leaders have opened a coordinated response and investigation, and short‑term bypass work is expected to cost millions with full repairs likely far higher because the system dates to the 1970s.