Draft Updated Combined Sewer Overflow Control Plan Public Hearing #1 9-17-26

Public hearing on the draft updated Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Control Plan, held September 17, 2026, involving the City of Somerville, the City of Cambridge, and the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA). The project team said planning began in 2022, the draft was released April 30, 2026, and the public comment period runs through the end of October. The final report is expected in 2027, followed by state review. Attendees were directed to submit comments through the online portal, email, mail, or additional public hearings; an office hour was scheduled for October 6.

Most public testimony criticized the draft as insufficient to prevent ongoing raw sewage discharges into the Charles, Mystic, and Alewife Brook waterways. Speakers urged the partners to pursue sewer separation or virtual elimination of overflows, strengthen climate-resilience assumptions, and consider green infrastructure alongside storage and other gray infrastructure; proposals included wetlands and a forested treatment area. Several organizations said they would submit more detailed written comments. No votes, contract awards, purchasing decisions, or other procurement activity were identified.