HAVERHILL, Mass. — Massachusetts officials will continue testing water quality along the North Shore as crews work to repair a ruptured sewer main in Haverhill that has sent millions of gallons of wastewater into the Merrimack River and forced the closure of several beaches.
Gov. Maura Healey said a “whole-of-government response” is underway as state and local agencies coordinate efforts to address the environmental and public health impacts of the ongoing sewage discharge.
The sewer main failed Friday night during a torrential rainstorm, according to city officials. Since then, the City of Haverhill estimates that between 8 million and 10 million gallons of wastewater per day have flowed into the Merrimack River.
Officials are urging residents and visitors to stay out of affected waters while the sewage continues to flow and water quality testing is conducted.
Haverhill Mayor Melinda Barrett said crews are focused on clearing and repairing the damaged pipe before determining the extent of the failure.
“Hopefully it’s not a complete failure of the whole pipe, and we can address what’s wrong, but we need to clear the pipe and fix the problem we have right now so we can take an assessment of what we have,” Barrett said.
The wastewater release has prompted beach closures along the North Shore as state and local officials monitor conditions and test water samples for contamination.
The towns of Ipswich, Newburyport, and Salisbury have closed all beaches to swimming until further notice.
According to the Department of Public Health’s water quality dashboard, the following North Shore beaches remained closed Tuesday:
- Crane (Ipswich)
- Little Neck (Ipswich)
- Pavilion @ Main (Ipswich)
- Sandy Point Plum Island North (Ipswich)
- Sandy Point Plum Island South (Ipswich)
- Steep Hill (Ipswich)
- Plum Island 55th Street (Newburyport)
- Plum Island - end of island 1 (Newburyport)
- Plum Island - end of island 2 (Newburyport)
- Plum Island Point (Newburyport)
- Salisbury Beach Center - Broadway Street (Salisbury)
- Salisbury Beach Center, Main DCR (Salisbury)
The closure of these popular beaches comes as a dangerous stretch of heat and humidity arrives for the week of the Fourth of July.
Despite the sewer emergency, city leaders emphasized that Haverhill’s drinking water remains safe.
Officials noted that the city’s drinking water system is separate from the sewer infrastructure that failed. Barrett said residents can continue to drink tap water and use it normally.
Authorities have not yet provided a timeline for when repairs will be completed or when affected beaches may reopen.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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