Moulton Secures $50 Million for Haverhill Sewer Repairs in Water Resources Development Act to Address Sewage Spill

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure adopted an amendment offered by Congressman Seth Moulton (MA-06) increasing the authorization for upgrading wastewater infrastructure in Haverhill from $40 million to $50 million. The amendment was offered during the markup of H.R. 9497, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2026. The amendment updates a Haverhill-specific provision of WRDA 1992, raising the ceiling on federal support for the city's sewer system by $10 million.

The increase comes after a devastating combined sewer overflow (CSO) occurred in Haverhill, which has one of the oldest stormwater/wastewater systems in the country.

During a torrential rainstorm on June 26, a 42-inch force main carrying most of the city's wastewater from the South Mill Street Pumping Station to the Haverhill Wastewater Treatment Plant was overwhelmed and broke in two places. For days, an estimated 8 million gallons of untreated sewage flowed daily into the Merrimack River, closing beaches in Ipswich, Newburyport, Salisbury, and Essex, and prompting an emergency shellfishing closure that left clammers empty-handed during the height of the season.

The City of Haverhill, working with state and federal partners, halted the discharge on July 1 by installing a temporary bypass system, but permanent repairs to the force main are still underway, and subsequent rainstorms have continued to raise bacteria levels in the river.

"This CSO has been devastating to communities, clammers, and shoreside industries downstream from Haverhill. Haverhill's sewer system is one of the oldest in the country, and a temporary bypass is not an acceptable solution," said Congressman Moulton. "These CSOs are polluting our environment and compromising public health, and we need to work across all levels of government to find a permanent solution. The funding that is authorized by my amendment, if funded by appropriators, will make sure we finish the job once and for all. No family in Massachusetts should have to wonder if their beach is safe to swim at again."

Reauthorized by Congress every two years, WRDA directs federal investment toward water infrastructure, navigation, and ecosystem projects nationwide. Today's authorization makes Haverhill eligible for additional federal support through the appropriations process, building on the city's ongoing emergency response and the permanent repair of the South Mill Street force main.
H.R. 9497 (WRDA 2026) now moves to consideration by the full House of Representatives. If passed, the increased Haverhill authorization would need to be funded through a future appropriations bill before the city could draw on the additional federal support.

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