Local News
Water testing continues to detect elevated bacteria levels despite an emergency bypass, while some shellfish harvesting areas remain closed.
Siblings look out onto the water at Plum Island. Erin Clark/Globe Staff
More than a week after millions of gallons of untreated sewage spilled into the Merrimack River, harmful bacteria continue to show up in water tests, and some shellfish harvesting areas remain closed even after crews installed an emergency bypass.
The Merrimack River Watershed Council reports that four of the seven testing sites along the river on Sunday had fecal coliform and E. coli levels above the recreational limit. Plum Island Light showed the highest reading, at four to five times the limit.
It is a slight improvement over Wednesday when the emergency bypass was installed to divert the sewage overflow, with six of the seven testing sites still showing unsafe levels.
The bacteria also made many area beaches unswimmable during the hot Fourth of July holiday. As of Monday, only Plum Island beaches remain closed due to the combined sewer overflow event.
In addition, there are still emergency shellfish closures for areas in Gloucester, Newburyport, Essex, Ipswich, Newbury, Rockport, Rowley, and Salisbury, according to the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game.
Shellfish are filter feeders that can quickly accumulate and concentrate contaminants from the environment, posing hazards to public health.
With the bypass now in place and the discharge stopped, the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) is increasing sampling to track impacts on shellfish resources.
The department said that emergency closures will remain in place until conditions improve and shellfish and water quality tests meet national public health standards.
“Massachusetts is proud of our nation-leading seafood industry, including the economically and culturally important tradition of shellfishing on the North Shore,” the department said in a statement. “DMF is working diligently to test shellfish and water quality to reopen these areas as soon as possible.”
Shellfish being served in restaurants or sold in local markets are not impacted by this event.
Beth Treffeisen is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on local news, crime, and business in the New England region.
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