All sites tested along the Merrimack River have begun reporting safe levels of fecal bacteria after the massive sewage break in Haverhill over two weeks ago.
Beaches across the North Shore fully reopened to swimming over the weekend and some lawmakers are now seeking funding for long-term fixes.
“As of Sunday, July 12th, over 10 days after the temporary fix of Haverhill’s sewer main break, bacteria levels in the Merrimack River downstream of the repair appear to be back within normal ranges (data delayed 24+ hours due to lab incubation time),” the Merrimack River Watershed Council reported Tuesday.
Seven sites along the Merrimack River began to be tested for fecal bacteria levels following two breaks discovered in Haverhill’s sewer main on June 26, which then dumped 7-10 million gallons of sewage into the river a day for about five days. Haverhill finished installing an initial temporary bypass line to stop the flow on July 1.
Sunday’s results are the first time all sites along the Merrimack River tested safe, the MRWC said, with West Newbury and the mouth of the river taking the longest to begin to register safe readings.
Ocean-facing beaches began to reopen following the halting of the sewage flow weeks prior, and the final beach closure in Newburyport lifted Saturday. All the beaches closed to swimming following the break were reopened as of Tuesday, according to Massachusetts Beach Water Quality Dashboard.
Shellfish harvesting areas closed after the sewer break in Newbury, Rowley, Ipswich, Essex, Gloucester and Rockport were also testing safe and reopened on July 9 – the earliest date allowed one week after the sewage overflow was halted – though some remained closed after the emergency lifted due to routine rainfall closures.
Other shellfish harvesting areas around Salisbury Beach, the Merrimack River and Plum Island remained closed as officials continue to test the areas for bacteria levels.
MRWC said Tuesday that the test results for the sites, which lead from Haverhill to the where the river meets the ocean, are “always over 24 hours old, due to lab incubation time, and results can change considerably in 24 hours.”
There were “some elevated results in Newburyport Harbor” over the weekend, but the nonprofit stated they believe “these are more likely a repeat of elevated mid-summer readings documented in 2025 and not a lingering impact of the recent Haverhill sewer break.”
MRWC said a multi-year investigation is scheduled to begin in the fall to examine source of the unexplained bacteria readings from 2025.
The city of Haverhill said they are now in the midst of investigating the cause of the break and beginning long-term repairs, in their latest update last week.
Several Congressional representatives also sought federal assistance in addressing Haverhill’s sewer issues Tuesday.
Reps. Seth Moulton and Lori Trahan said they requested additional federal support from U.S. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to assist the response to the ongoing situation in Haverhill, stating local governments “cannot shoulder the costs of long-term infrastructure modernization without stronger, more reliable federal partnership.”
The representatives also warned the EPA against a 2027 budget proposal to cut federal water infrastructure funding by roughly 90, “slashing the Clean Water State Revolving Fund from approximately $2.5 billion to just $155 million.”
Moulton heralded an amendment he offered to the Water Resources Development Act in the House raising the ceiling on federal support for the Haverhill’s sewer system by $10 million to a total of $50 million.
Sens. Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Lori Trahan also introduced a Water Emergency and Technical Assistance Act to amend the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act on Tuesday, citing the crisis in Haverhill.
The bill would authorize technical and financial support in emergency situations like Haverhill’s breaks and grants for clean water and drinking water infrastructure.
Trahan said unlike the aftermath in Haverhill, the bill “puts real federal money on the table the moment an emergency like this hits, so no community has to face it alone.”
“Water system emergencies spell disaster for their communities — they’re expensive, bad for business, and dangerous to public health,” Markey and Warren said in a statement. “Our communities deserve clean water and quick access to support in response to emergency situations that put their health and economies in danger.”
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