Draft Updated Combined Sewer Overflow Control Plan Public Hearing #2 9-24-26

The second public hearing on the draft updated Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Control Plan was held September 24, 2026, with representatives of the MWRA and Cambridge and Somerville project partners. The plan, released April 30, 2026, is intended to reduce or eliminate CSO discharges to the Alewife Brook, Mystic River, and Charles River. The project team said public comments will inform the final plan, which is anticipated in May 2027 after further state review. A third hearing was scheduled for October 28, 2026; no spending or procurement vote was taken.

Public commenters expressed sharply differing views on the proposed approach. Many urged comprehensive sewer separation and stronger controls, citing health, environmental, and climate-related concerns; one commenter referenced the plan’s estimated $1.3 billion cost and said it would still allow sewage discharges during severe storms. Other speakers supported the proposed plan as a balanced, lower-cost regional approach, citing potential rate impacts on communities without combined sewers, including an estimated $100–$120 per year per Melrose household and a claimed $150 million increase across several communities under a higher-cost alternative. These were public comments, not adopted budget decisions or contract approvals.