Merrimack River sewage leak stopped, some Massachusetts beaches reopened for swimming

The leak that was letting millions of gallons of raw sewage flow into the Merrimack River was stopped Wednesday, the city of Haverhill said, and some nearby Massachusetts beaches have reopened for swimming.

Haverhill Mayor Melinda Barrett said a temporary bypass system is allowing wastewater to flow to a treatment plant. The 42-inch sewer main failed amid heavy downpours on June 27, and crews discovered there were two breaks in the pipe.

"This is a major milestone in the emergency response," Barrett said in a statement. "Stopping the discharge into the Merrimack River has been our highest priority since this incident began. Contractors and engineers have worked around the clock over the past several days to make this happen."

The mayor said people should still avoid contact with the river around Haverhill and downstream for the next 48 hours "due to the potential presence of elevated bacteria and other pollutants."

The town of Ipswich said Wednesday afternoon that all of its beaches, including Pavilion, Crane, Steep Hill, Clark and Little Neck are open for swimming again after two consecutive days of tests showed bacteria levels were below "the state's threshold for concern."

Gov. Maura Healey said later on Wednesday that Sandy Point Beach on Plum Island reopened, along with Salisbury Beach Reservation.

"Given the recent warm weather, we're grateful to our residents and visitors for their patience these past few days, and we hope that everyone enjoys our beaches this holiday weekend," Ipswich director of public health Colleen Fermon said.

The city of Newburyport, however, said other Plum Island beaches are still closed for swimming despite the fix being installed.

"We are working with other municipalities and state officials to determine whether this bypass line will have the intended effect and allow for the reopening of Newburyport's beaches," the city said.

Shellfish harvesting in the river is still off-limits, according to the city's message. Healey added that shellfish currently being served in restaurants or sold at markets were not impacted by the event and are safe to buy.

With the upcoming July 4th holiday weekend and an extreme heat wave starting in Massachusetts, Newburyport Mayor Sean Reardon said Tuesday that he was worried about a "Jaws-like scenario" having a negative impact on the local economy.

"I'm glad that people can once again enjoy swimming at our beaches just in time for the Fourth of July weekend, while continuing to support the local businesses, restaurants and seafood industry that make the Merrimack River region such a special destination," Healey said in a statement. "We're grateful to everyone who worked around the clock to protect public health and restore access to these waterways as quickly as possible." 

The state said that with the first bypass line now operational, crews will continue work on a second bypass line.