Popular North Shore Beach Closed After Millions Of Gallons Of Wastewater Discharge

BEVERLY, MA — A popular North Shore beach was closed to swimming on Monday after officials said millions of gallons of untreated wastewater were discharged into the Merrimack River.

The city of Haverhill discovered the discharge into the river that flows into Plum Island Beach in Newburyport.

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After the beaches were closed for the weekend, which was said to be a precaution, Haverhill Mayor Melinda Barrett said on Monday that around eight million gallons of wastewater continue to be leaking into the river per day.

"Emergency bypass pumping contractors remain on site and continue flow restoration efforts," Barrett said on social media on Monday. "Crews are actively fusing sections of bypass pipe and installing the temporary pipeline from the South Mill Street Pump Station to the Haverhill Wastewater Treatment Plant.

"Construction and bypass installation crews will be working 24 hours a day until the temporary bypass system is fully operational and wastewater conveyance to the treatment plant has been restored."

Barrett urged residents to avoid contact with water in the river until the problem is corrected.

She provided no timetable for the work to be completed.

"Every effort is being made to minimize environmental impacts and restore normal wastewater operations as safely and quickly as possible," she said.

The beach closures come as temperatures are forecast to soar to near 100 degrees by Wednesday in a heat wave expected to last at least three days into the holiday weekend.