REGIONAL – A Plum Island resident, “fed up” with watching sewage flow down the river, polluting the island waters and the Parker River Wildlife Sanctuary, has started a petition with almost 2,000 signatures urging state and local officials to “take decisive action regarding the Merrimack River Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs).
The petition, initiated by Ruth Gamper, a self-described “dedicated resident of Plum Island, on behalf of the island’s residents,” is on Change.org.
Coming on the heels of a particularly tough summer for sewage in the river, the petition asks state and federal elected officials to take “immediate measures to prevent sewage overflow from reaching the ocean, including infrastructure upgrades and the expansion of wastewater treatment facilities.”
The petition also asks that state and federal governments develop and enforce stricter regulations on sewage overflow management, ensuring accountability for cities and Increase public awareness of the hazards posed by sewage overflow to health, the environment and the local economy.”
Just ahead of the July 4th weekend, one of the busiest of the summer for boaters and retailers, a Haverhill maintenance crew broke a 42-inch sewage pipe, allowing about 8 million gallons of raw sewage to flow down river.
As a result, eight beaches were closed. Gov. Maura Healy distributed relief checks of up to $6,700 to 130 shellfish harvesters for the loss in income.
“Plum Island residents are very concerned and fed up about the persistent pollution problem severely impacting the waters surrounding our island, the Parker River Wildlife Sanctuary and the city of Newburyport,” the petition reads. “We emphasize the urgent need for our elected state officials to take decisive action regarding the Merrimack River Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs).”
Every time, more than a quarter-inch of rain falls, cities along the Merrimack River such as Manchester, NH, Nashua, NH, Lowell, Lawrence, and Haverhill, release untreated or partially treated human and industrial waste, along with toxic materials and storm water, into our precious rivers and estuaries., the petition explains.
“It’s appalling to note that in just the span of January to December 2023, a staggering 2 billion gallons of CSO have been recklessly dumped into the Merrimack River, as reported by the Merrimack River Watershed Council,” Gamper’s petition reads.
The consequences for Plum Island are frequently overlooked, she wrote. “The polluted river eventually flows into the ocean here, with a disproportionate amount of toxic waste washing onto our shores and drifting downstream along the Parker River Sanctuary.”
Compounding this issue is the recent observation of a sandbar forming offshore, which traps pollutants closer to the shore, exacerbating the problem, the petition states.
“Following rainfall, we’re greeted with the sight and smell of repulsive brown and white substances in the ocean and Basin, while sewage infiltrates our beaches. The potential presence of carcinogenic waste poses a grave threat to public health and the environment, jeopardizing tourism, local businesses, real estate values, and the overall well-being of Plum Island residents and neighboring communities,” the petition reads.
Action is long overdue, the Gamper petition reads.“We cannot idly stand by while billions of gallons of combined sewage overflow waste continue to poison our ocean without repercussions. It’s imperative that the affected cities unite to form a consortium and aggressively pursue funding from the federal government …
“This represents a critical opportunity to secure essential resources for addressing our crumbling infrastructure. However, if this funding avenue closes, we urge cities not to resort to stopgap measures like emergency tanks but to explore alternative financing methods, prioritizing sewer system renewal on a city-by-city basis, starting with Lowell and progressing accordingly.”
The full petition on Change.org. can be found at:
https://tinyurl.com/cleantheriver.
