New York and Boston have archaic sewer systems that back up when it rains. Fixing them could cost billions
As heavy rains overwhelm aging pipes, the two cities are choosing very different paths forward.
At the end of July 2023, 3.07 inches of rain fell on Boston in a single day. The city’s sewer systems were overwhelmed, resulting in a discharge of sewage into Boston Harbor that prompted a public health warning. The summer of 2023 would turn out to be Boston’s second-rainiest on record.