Baker-Polito Administration Awards Grants for Water Management and Conservation Projects BOSTON — The Baker-Polito Administration recently announced more than $360,000 in grants to help 18 communities with water system interconnection, demand management, and water mitigation projects across the Commonwealth. The funding will be utilized in the communities of Auburn, Avon, Dighton, Leicester, Littleton, and Westford, and a consortium of 12 South Shore communities. “As the Commonwealth deals with drought and other impacts from a changing climate, the grants will help these communities build resiliency into their water infrastructure and prepare for future water needs,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Our administration is proud to help communities better manage their water supply while protecting the environment.” “Preserving the Commonwealth’s natural resources yields both environmental and economic benefits,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “Once implemented, these grants will further help local water suppliers in their efforts to provide clean and safe water and maintain a sustainable supply in their communities for many years to come.” The grants are part of the Water Management Act (WMA) Grant Program, an effort by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) to maintain healthy rivers and streams and improve degraded water resources over time. The WMA Grant Program helps water suppliers by providing grants for watershed planning projects, demand management, and minimization and mitigation activities for water withdrawal impacts. “Proper management and conservation of water resources continues to be one of our top environmental priorities, as communities across the state deal with drought and other climate challenges,” said EEA Secretary Kathleen Theoharides. “It is critical for the health of our natural infrastructure to conserve water, especially in our most-stressed watersheds, and these grants will help local officials plan for and manage water demand today and into the future.” “The Commonwealth is committed to partnering with local communities to preserve and protect their streams, aquifers and critical habitats,” said MassDEP Commissioner Martin Suuberg. “As we begin to see the impacts of climate change at the local level, this funding is awarded directly to communities to help them improve the ecological condition of their waterways and reduce water system demand into the future.” The WMA Grant Program helps guide water manJANUARY, 2021
agement in the Commonwealth for both the long-term water needs of communities and the protection of the aquatic ecosystems. The following grants were awarded: • Auburn Water District: Water Conservation Planning and Preparation for Implementation of Proposed Worcester Interconnection – $84,445. • Town of Avon: Interconnections, Phase II (with Stoughton and Brockton) – $54,750. • Dighton Water District: Water Rate Study – $23,800. • Leicester Water Supply District: Alternative Source Evaluation – $92,000. • Westford and Littleton: Continuation of the Stonybrook Restoration Project – $83,603. • Scituate: Demand Management Outdoor Water Conservation Campaign (in consortium with Cohasset, Duxbury, Hanover, Hingham, Hull, Kingston, Marshfield, Norwell, Pembroke, Rockland, and Weymouth) – $22,311. “It is vital that communities throughout the Commonwealth have easy access to clean water,” said State Senator Michael Moore (D-Millbury). “The Water Management grants provide towns throughout the state with the resources needed to establish adequate water supply infrastructures. The grant program also contributes to the protection of aquatic ecosystems, which allows us to keep the environment as a whole healthy.” “I applaud Avon town officials for their hard work on this application, allowing them to successfully secure these funds,” said State Senator Walter F. Timilty (DMilton). “This funding will help the Town of Avon evaluate their infrastructure and provide future options as to the town’s water resources. Their work will, ultimately, provide a much safer system for the citizens of Avon.” “This grant will allow Avon to develop a long-term plan to access clean water for residents in a sustainable way,” said State Representative William Galvin (DCanton). “I applaud Avon town officials for all of their hard work on this project and I am grateful that this crucial project has received the necessary funding.” n
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