Lowell, Massachusetts, Initiates $300 Million Infrastructure Program to Upgrade Aging Sewer System
Lowell, Massachusetts, has launched a $300 million infrastructure program aimed at upgrading its 150-year-old sewer pipes. The initiative seeks to mitigate sewage backups into homes, reduce street flooding, and protect local rivers. A significant portion of Lowell's combined sewer pipes, which carry both stormwater and household wastewater, are over a century old and constitute 60% of the city's sewer infrastructure. Test-pit investigations are currently underway in the Lower Highlands neighborhood to gather data for new drainage pipelines. These investigations, conducted by Aqua Line Utility, involve digging trenches to assess underground materials and identify existing utilities. The program includes plans to enhance capacity at the Lowell Regional Wastewater Utility (Duck Island) and construct an overflow tank, alongside a $200 million sewer-separation project in Centralville and similar work in other neighborhoods.
