By Trace Salzbrenner — Correspondent
Martin Nowak, a Harvard mathematics professor, moved to Concord for its tranquil atmosphere. It was an escape from the hustle and bustle of Cambridge.
But recently, his serene surroundings — and his sleep — have been disturbed by a persistent late-night racket.
The source: a small wastewater disposal site on Spencer Brook, owned by Middlesex School and located up the road from Nowak’s home. The site is used to discharge treated sewage water, and the noise, which generally occurs between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m., has become a true headache for Nowak and other residents.
“It’s made me consider selling my home,” Nowak said. “I’ve had to start wearing noise-canceling headphones just to try and get some sleep some nights.”
Middlesex, which has a permit to discharge its treated wastewater into the small brook, invited residents to discuss their concerns on April 15.
12 months of racket
Residents first reached out to the school almost a year ago, asking about the noise and a smell from the brook. After initial contact — including assuring residents that they had a permit to dump into Spencer Brook — homeowners say Middlesex School officials stopped responding.
Amanda Calabro and other residents received no communication or updates from the private school from late April 2024 until March 2025.
In early emails shared by Calabro, school officials said the noise was caused by a temporary pumping system used to prevent flooding. Due to aging parts, Middlesex’s facility can’t process wastewater quickly enough, so the excess water must be pumped into trucks to be treated elsewhere.
Middlesex also noted that while it is working on a long-term solution, supply chain issues have delayed progress.
Official complaints
Nowak said he called Concord police to complain, and police records reviewed by The Concord Bridge show at least three noise complaints related to Middlesex School have been filed this year. Two logs state that police confirmed the noise came from the school’s wastewater site.
Concordians living near Middlesex have banded together to push for change. In a letter to head of school Bessie Speers, four residents asked that Middlesex stop pumping wastewater at night.
“The noise issue has not improved. Large diesel trucks operate day and night. Some of us are being woken up frequently,” they wrote.
Delia Kaye, director of Concord’s Natural Resources Commission, says she has not received any complaints and that Middlesex School has not committed any violation that falls under NRC’s jurisdiction.
Representatives of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the federal Environmental Protection Agency also say the agencies have not seen any unusual activity from the school in recent years. The EPA representative said closer attention might be put on the school after hearing the residents’ complaints.
But noise is not regulated by the permit given to Middlesex School.
“I want to know if there is anything they can do to be more quiet,” Nowak said.
‘Actively working’
Assistant head of school Eric Kester, after multiple Bridge calls to Middlesex, responded via email, saying that the school had not been able to fix its flood issue and is still working to find a solution. In the interim, the school had been storing excess wastewater in tanks and transporting them to a certified wastewater treatment vendor.
“At the moment, additional pumping is integral to removing excess groundwater from our system.” Kester said. “We are actively working on acquiring components that will address this temporary situation and ensure our building is able to appropriately function without the need for additional pumping.”
Middlesex did not provide any timeline for when they expect the temporary system to be fixed, nor did they address whether they have taken any steps to mitigate the noise keeping residents awake at night.
In her email to residents, Speers said a crucial piece of equipment to update the school’s wastewater facility is “likely to arrive” soon and be installed — but also said 20 of these pieces are needed to fully update their system.
