Town of Merrimac Advises Residents Not to Swim in Merrimack River Amid Wastewater Discharge

MERRIMAC – The Town of Merrimac and Health Agent Debbie Ketchen advise residents not to swim in the Merrimack River due to an incident in Haverhill that led to a discharge of untreated wastewater into the river. 

On Friday, June 26 and Saturday, June 27, the City of Haverhill identified two breaks in sewer mains near its main pumping stations and confirmed that there was an ongoing discharge of untreated wastewater going into the Merrimack River.

As a result of the discharge of untreated wastewater, Health Agent Ketchen strongly urges residents not to swim or allow pets in the Merrimack River.

While the Town of Merrimac has no public access points to the Merrimack River, a number of private residents do. 

Several surrounding towns that offer public access points, including Newburyport, Ipswich, and Newbury, have closed their beaches to swimming. These closures will remain in place until regular testing indicates the water is safe to swim in. 

Swimming in bacteria-contaminated water poses serious health risks. Exposure can cause gastrointestinal, respiratory, dermatological, eye, and ear symptoms, and in some cases, more serious illnesses. Children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable.

The Town urges residents to obey all posted signage if they travel to any beaches in the surrounding area. 

While this untreated sewage discharge impacts the Merrimack River and downstream points, there is no impact to the town’s potable water sources. Merrimac’s potable water is drawn from wells, and town water customers can remain confident in the quality and safety of the drinking water.

For up-to-date information on water quality, visit mass.gov/info-details/dcr-park-alerts.