26 October, 2023
State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, Chair of the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust (Trust) Board of Trustees, announced that $115.2 million in grants were awarded for 47 projects totaling $426.5 million in total project cost in 40 communities across the state. The grant funds are awarded to cities, towns, counties, and water utilities to help pay for improvements to drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.
A list of communities and approved projects that are receiving grants is attached.
The funding for these grants is available from two sources of funding. The first being the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which provided additional federal funding to the Trust with a requirement that part of the funding be provided as grants. The second source is the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding that was provided by the Massachusetts State Legislature to be directed to water projects throughout the Commonwealth.
“These grants will support vital water projects throughout our state,” said State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg. “We are beginning to see the positive impacts of the federal infrastructure investments in Massachusetts, and it is helping us to reduce costs for our local communities in order to ensure clean drinking water for every resident.”
"Every city and town deserves access to clean water, and we're grateful that these federal funds will bring improvements to drinking water and wastewater infrastructure to Massachusetts," said Governor Maura Healey. "Our administration is committed to aggressively competing for federal funding to support Massachusetts communities. We're thankful to Treasurer Goldberg for her leadership and are excited to see how our communities use these grant dollars to invest in their water systems."
“The Clean Water Trust and MassDEP are working to direct these federal dollars to where they’re needed most: communities with aging water infrastructure,” said MassDEP Commissioner Bonnie Heiple. “Taking on these often complex projects provides vital daily services for residents – like ensuring clean drinking water – and contributes toward our overall resiliency.”
The grant amounts are to be provided as loan forgiveness and are part of a larger low or no-interest loan. The grants were awarded by project category to provide much needed financial assistance towards high priority projects. Additionally, communities that qualify as “Disadvantaged Communities”, determined by an affordability metric that ranks each community in the Commonwealth, will receive additional loan forgiveness funds to ensure that subsidy is given to the communities that need it most. The Trust understands certain communities face exceptional environmental and financial challenges. By utilizing loan forgiveness, this can minimize the fiscal impact of these vital water infrastructure projects.
“This funding is critical to the state’s efforts to partner with communities around Massachusetts to address their water infrastructure needs. I’m excited and proud to see this groundbreaking program put federal money to use quickly in a way that will benefit residents across the state,” said Secretary of Administration and Finance Matthew J. Gorzkowicz.
The Trust, in collaboration with MassDEP, helps communities build or replace water infrastructure that enhances ground and surface water resources, ensures the safety of drinking water, protects public health and develops resilient communities. It accomplishes these objectives by providing low-interest loans and grants to cities, towns and water utilities through the Massachusetts State Revolving Funds (SRFs). The SRF programs are partnerships between the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. SRFs function like an environmental infrastructure bank by financing water infrastructure projects in cities and towns across the Commonwealth.
For More Information
For more information on our different loan programs, please visit the Programs page at https://www.mass.gov/programs and for more information on our Loan Forgiveness Program, please visit https://www.mass.gov/info-details/the-disadvantaged-community-program#l…-. To learn about past meetings or find project descriptions, please visit https://www.mass.gov/info-details/board-of-trustees-meeting-information. For information on how to apply for an SRF loan, please visit MassDEP’s website at https://www.mass.gov/lists/state-revolving-fund-applications-forms
About the Clean Water Trust
Since its establishment in 1989, the Trust has loaned nearly $8.6 billion to improve and maintain the quality of water in the Commonwealth. An estimated 97 percent of Massachusetts' residents have benefited from the financial assistance of the Trust.
