Brady PieperMassachusetts is announcing financial support for dozens of local communities and water utilities to relieve high costs associated with drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects.
The Massachusetts Clean Water Trust (Trust) Board of Trustees will award over $69 million in grants to cities, towns, counties and water utility providers seeking to upgrade water management facilities around the state.
While the Trust is primarily funded through Massachusetts State Revolving funds, a surge of federal support from the Bipartisan Infrastructure has unlocked additional funding for the state’s drinking and wastewater initiatives. Adhering to the requirements of this federal investment, the Trust will deliver grants to entities in the form of loan forgiveness to alleviate financial pressures of high-cost infrastructure projects.
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The drinking water and wastewater projects funded by the grants will address a variety of community needs, from replacing aging pipes and pumps to upgrading wastewater treatment facilities. Allocating grants up to $4.7 million, these state funds will also finance projects that focus on protecting the environment and building resilience against the impacts of climate change.
Some of the highest-granted projects in this round are as follows:
- Town of Webster – Forgives $4.7 million in loans for the PFAs Water Treatment Plants project. Seeking to address Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) in water sources, the project will construct two new PFAS treatment plants and upgrade meter systems. Webster officials anticipate the project will significantly reduce the amount of unaccounted-for water in the town.
- Springfield Water and Sewer Commission – Forgives nearly $4.5 million in loans towards Phase 2B of the Water Treatment Plant Replacement project. Through the initiative, the commission will construct a new water treatment plant with advanced processes, including coagulation filtration, flocculation and dissolved air flotation, and will improve natural organic matter removal strategies.
- Town of New Bedford – Forgives almost $4.5 million in loans for the second phase of the Quittacas Water Treatment Plant Upgrades project. As the 1970s-era water treatment plant is in urgent need of upgrade, the town will improve the facility’s HVAC system, supervisory control and data acquisition systems and process areas.
- Boston Water and Sewer Commission – Forgives nearly $2.8 million in loans on the Lead Service Line Replacement Project. Supporting federal and state goals, the initiative seeks to replace all lead service lines in response to the exceedance of lead action levels in 2020.
This round of Trust grants will also support federal equity initiatives, seeking to deliver the direct benefits of federally funded projects to disadvantaged communities. Aligning with sentiment, additional funds will be distributed to minimize the fiscal impact of water infrastructure projects on communities most in need.
As part of the federal and state partnership, the Trust continues to play a vital role in advancing environmental, equitable and public health goals across the Commonwealth. Through its loan programs, the Trust has enabled communities to fund a wide range of infrastructure improvements, from water treatment systems to stormwater management.
More information on Massachusetts’ clean water initiatives is available on the state’s Revolving Fund webpage. Additional resources and how to apply for loan forgiveness can be found here.
Photo by Orhan Akbaba
