Overview
- Two breaks in a 42-inch force main were found after heavy storms on Friday night, and city officials estimate about 8 to 10 million gallons of untreated wastewater are entering the Merrimack River each day.
- Haverhill has mobilized contractors and roughly 2,000 feet of bypass pipe is on site as crews work around the clock to build an emergency pipeline that city leaders hope could be operational by mid-to-late week.
- Health and resource agencies have closed multiple beaches and ordered shellfish harvest closures downstream — including Plum Island, Ipswich beaches and Salisbury — and officials advise avoiding contact with the river while testing continues.
- Local shellfish businesses have stopped harvesting and report lost revenue, while the city says the temporary bypass will cost millions and a full repair could exceed $10 million, with impacts compounded by an approaching heat wave and July Fourth travel.
- The exact structural cause is under investigation after the heavy rain event overloaded the pump station, and officials warn the incident highlights aging wastewater infrastructure and the high cost of emergency fixes.