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Merrimack Shores resident urges wastewater fee increase to fix collapsing sewer pipes
Summary
A Merrimack Shores resident told Hampton council the neighborhood's nearly 80-year-old clay sewer pipes are collapsing, causing sinkholes and backups, and urged adoption of the manager's proposed wastewater fee and prioritization of pipe replacement.
Robin McCormick, a Merrimack Shores resident, told the City Council she has seen multiple sinkholes on Chesapeake and Catesby Jones Avenues where nearly 80-year-old clay sewer pipes are collapsing and causing repeated roadway failures and sewer backups. "I urge you to adopt the increase in the wastewater fee that is part of the city manager's recommended budget," she said, asking that Meramec Shores be at the top of the replacement list.
McCormick said public works has conducted temporary repairs but the problems reappear within months — she described as many as six holes at once on Catesby Jones — and linked the recurring sinkholes to reduced pipe capacity when rainwater breaches the old clay lines. Her remarks were part of the FY27 budget public hearing; council did not act on the budget at the meeting and final adoption is scheduled for May 13, 2026.
