Moulton, Trahan asking for EPA support in wake of Haverhill wastewater spill

HAVERHILL, Mass. — Two Massachusetts Congress members are asking for support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in wake of the Haverhill wastewater spill last month.

Congressman Seth Moulton (MA-06) and Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) wrote to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin requesting additional federal support in response to the ongoing Haverhill wastewater emergency.

“As communities across the Commonwealth continue recovering from the recent sewer main failure in Haverhill, it is increasingly clear that local governments, even those acting responsibly and proactively, cannot shoulder the costs of long-term infrastructure modernization without stronger, more reliable federal partnership,” the lawmakers wrote.

In late June, officials said a major break in a critical wastewater pipeline caused untreated sewage to discharge into the Merrimack River during an overnight powerful storm.

While crews were investigating, they discovered a second break along the same line.

Millions of gallons of wastewater leaked into the Merrimack River. Contractors installed a temporary 24-inch bypass pipeline that sends wastewater to Haverhill’s wastewater facility.

The letter further asks EPA to work with Congress to identify long-term federal funding streams for communities replacing aging water infrastructure, like Haverhill, including the establishment of rapid-response dollars for emergencies like the one in Haverhill and the restoration of robust grant funding for combined sewer upgrades.

Both said the Fiscal Year 2027 budget could cut federal water infrastructure by roughly 90 percent, slashing the Clean Water State Revolving Fund from approximately $2.5 billion to just $155 million.

“Underfunding these programs forces communities to defer essential repairs, leaving systems vulnerable to catastrophic public health failures like the one Haverhill just experienced,” the lawmakers said. “We urge you to work with our offices to identify long-term federal funding streams to ensure cities like Haverhill are not continually overburdened by the growing costs to replace aging water infrastructure.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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