80% of Methuen ARPA Funding to be Used for Water, Sewer Overhaul

METHUEN — In response to the four water mains that have ruptured since June, 80% of the $46 million that Methuen received from the American Rescue Plan Act will be used to fund a series of improvements to the aging water and sewer network.

Seven projects are currently slated to take place over the next four years. The largest task, funded at $9.7 million, is the combined sewer project in the Arlington neighborhood. This calls for the separation of the sewer system that Methuen currently shares with Lawrence as well as the replacement of a 100-year-old water main.

“This is one of the main reasons the City Council approved the use of almost 80% of our ARPA funding on upgrades to water and sewer service,” said Mayor Neil Perry.

Although much of the city’s water and sewer infrastructure is more than a century old, Perry said increased water usage caused by drought was the probable reason for the water main breaks.

“More water breaks occur in extreme weather conditions,” he said.

City Council President DJ Beauregard said the water and sewer infrastructure has only become a priority in the past few years.

“The goal is to eventually be in a position where we no longer need to turn to Band-Aid solutions to address these issues,” he said. “While we’re certainly not there yet, this administration is making tangible progress.”

Councilor-at-Large Jessica Finocchiaro said the water main breaks are “indicative of larger issues.”

“The Greater Lawrence Sanitary District needs additional funding to further increase capacity to minimize combined sewer overflows (CSOs) during heavy rainfall, so less waste flows into the Merrimack River,” she said.

Finocchiaro also described the city’s extensive water and sewer network.

“Methuen has hundreds of miles of water and sewer lines, more than 6,000 catch basins, more than 2,000 drainage manholes, more than 600 raw sewage outfalls, water towers, pumping stations, pressure boosters and treatment plant facilities to maintain,” she said, adding that more than 2,000 acres of land is located within the 100-year flood plain.

“We need to be better positioned to help ourselves financially, though our needs can’t be fully met without significant state and federal investment.”

Finocchiaro said additional upgrades in the fiscal year 2023 Capital Improvement Plan include installing an emergency generator for Riverside Drive, updating the Forest Street water tank, having hydraulic three dimensional modeling of water infrastructure and monitoring systems for the city’s 23 pumping stations.

Although the improvements will not be visible to the public, East District Councilor Steven Saba said the projects will be beneficial in the long-term.

“I continue to urge the mayor to put these projects before the council as soon as possible before the deadlines to spend this money are exhausted,” he said.

Written by Christopher Robinson. Reprinted from the Eagle Tribune. n

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