August Storm Caused Biggest Sewage Dump Of The Year

NORTH ANDOVER, MA -- A watchdog group says about 52 million gallons of untreated sewage and storm water overflowed into the Merrimack River during the rainstorms from August 9-12. The Lawrence-based Merrimack River Watershed Council said it was the largest storm overflow into the river in 2018.

The Greater Lawrence Sanitary District, which serves Lawrence, Andover, North Andover, Dracut, Methuen and Salem, NH, said it released 26 million gallons from its wastewater treatment plant during the storm. A plan serving greater Lowell released an additional 26.2 million gallons during the storm, including 24 million on Aug. 11.

Treatment plants in Haverhill and Nashua, NH also released untreated sewage into the river, but the have not release total figures. All of the plants are designed to overflow into the river when they are over-worked during periods of heavy rainfall rather than have the water back up into streets through sewer grates or, worse, into people's homes.

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Patch file photo.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).