Conservation Board Ratifies Emergency Culvert Repair

Conservation · Meeting of September 23, 2026

Lowell's Conservation Commission ratified an emergency 84-inch culvert repair on Woburn Street after three sinkholes developed there. City engineer David Biotti said crews began sleeving a new pipe inside the failing one on September 23, with the fix expected to take "a week or two at most." The commission also approved a Lowell Regional Wastewater Utility request, presented by Katie Campbell, to dig seven test pits across two sites for a potential phosphorus-control project, and ratified a separate emergency certificate for tree-branch removal on Townsend Avenue. Chair Bradley Buitenhuys asked staff to pursue moving the board's 2027 meetings from 7 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., saying, "I'm not sure exactly why we're the only board that starts at 7." Commissioners continued four stalled items, including a years-old culvert cleanout request at 451 Black Brook Drive that Buitenhuys said the applicant has effectively abandoned, to the October 14 and October 28 meetings.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,114 words

Source: the Conservation meeting of September 23, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.