Fall River, New Bedford, Taunton, receive millions from Massachusetts Clean Water Trust’s Board of Trustees to address water, sewer projects

BOSTON – The Massachusetts Clean Water Trust’s Board of Trustees approved $153,857,953 in new grants and low-interest loans at its meeting on August 3, 2022.

Announced in June, the Trust is offering $20 million in loans with 100% loan forgiveness for planning activities assisting public water suppliers with completing planning projects for lead service line inventories and replacement programs. Fall River’s lead service line inventory and revised replacement project marks the first project of this kind to be approved by the Board of Trustees. The loan is expected to be fully forgiven once the project is completed.

The Trust, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, 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.