EEA announces state grants for water conservation projects in Ashland, Franklin and Medway
(BOSTON, January 29, 2014) – Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan this week announced more than $1.1 million in grants to communities across the Commonwealth for water conservation and management projects, including over $222,000 locally in Ashland, Franklin and Medway.
"Conserving natural resources and improving access to clean, safe and affordable drinking water are critical issues in these communities and across the state," Senator Karen Spilka (D-Ashland) said. "These grants will help towns boost their water conservation efforts to best protect natural resources, while ensuring a sustainable, high-quality water supply going forward."
The grants are part of the EEA's Sustainable Water Management Initiative (SWMI), which seeks to improve degraded water resources and maintain healthy aquatic ecosystems. SWMI grants support projects that will improve the handling of wastewater and stormwater, conserve natural resources and ecosystem habitats, manage demand for water in municipalities and improve the water supply.
"Water resources are of great concern to residents of Franklin and Medway, particularly given our proximity to the Charles River," said Representative Jeffrey Roy (D-Franklin). "These grants will go a long way to enhancing water management in our area and the preservation of our waterways."
"I am pleased to see Franklin awarded this important grant," said Senator Richard Ross (R-Wrentham). "It will go great lengths toward improving efficiency in water management in the community."
"Ensuring we have clean water is an essential function of government," said Representative Tom Sannicandro (D-Ashland). "These grants are investing in clean water now so we have what we need 10, 20, 30 years down the road."
"In addition to advancing state and local water conservation partnerships across the region, this grant provides Medway with the resources to evaluate the source of water loss occurring in the town water system," said Representative John Fernandes (D-Milford). "Identifying and correcting that problem makes more water available for new and expanded development, which creates more revenue for the town."
The following local communities were awarded grants:
· Ashland: $67,455 for a wastewater analysis planning project to analyze the feasibility of constructing a wastewater treatment plant in Ashland.
· Franklin: $119,460 for regional evaluation of water management alternatives to reduce streamflow impacts in the Upper Charles River Watershed.
· Medway: $35,420 for a Demand Management Implementation Project that will conduct audits of both the Town's water system and the ten largest industrial, commercial and institutional water users served by the Town.
For more details on the SWMI grant program: www.mass.gov/eea/swm
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