Mayor worried about impact of beach closures from Merrimack River leak: "Jaws-like scenario on 4th of July weekend"
For parts of the Massachusetts North Shore, the fate of 4th of July swimming for beachgoers rests on the timeline of temporary pipes being installed to stop a wastewater sewage leak. The leaks are dumping gallons upon gallons of wastewater into the Merrimack River.
A surge of rain on Friday saw 60 to 65 million gallons of wastewater hit a 42-inch pipe going to the plant.The pipe is used to handling 8 million gallons.
"I am optimistic we will have one of the temporary pipes that will take our normal day's flow completely and totally to the waste treatment plant sometime in the next 24 hours," Haverhill Mayor Melinda Bennett said on Tuesday.
The surge caused leaks in two spots and sent sewage into the Merrimack River, making water unsafe for swimmers downstream at popular beaches.
"There is a barrier that is stopping the flow of solid debris down the rivers that's actually working, and that's holding," Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said. "We are also managing beaches for debris, but we haven't seen any debris."
"Jaws-like scenario on 4th of July weekend"
In the meantime, the Department of Conservation and Recreation is testing the water while beaches in Newbury, Newburyport, Salisbury and Ipswich are closed. Newburyport Mayor Sean Reardon said communication hasn't been fast enough.
"I would say that's my biggest disappointment in all of this is that we weren't informed. I still haven't had a conversation with the Mayor of Haverhill," Reardon said.
Reardon added that some dock space rentals have been canceled, and Airbnb renters have backed out.
"I never wanted to be a mayor during a Jaws-like scenario on 4th of July weekend. I don't think we will know the economic impact for a while," Reardon said.
Healey urges people to still use beaches
Healey wants to be clear, the beaches remain open, it's swimming that is not advised.
"It's really important for people to hear that because I think there's been a misunderstanding. The beaches are open," Healey said. "Use it for boating and enjoy the beach as best you can."
In addition to the beaches impacted by the leaks, another 14 beaches are closed for high bacteria. This includes two beaches in Salem on Children's Island where a YMCA camp is going on.
"Kind of sucks because these beaches and the ocean are supposed to give you cool air and water," said Ophelia, a Salem resident.
The hope is that if the pipe can get done over the next 24 hours, and rain holds off, that testing could show safe enough numbers to allow swimming by the 4th of July.
