Governor Awards Over $1Billion to Water Infrastructure Projects

11:28AM / Saturday, April 04, 2026Print Story | Email Story

BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced that 70 projects across Massachusetts are eligible to receive over $1 billion in low-interest rate loans to upgrade or replace aging drinking water and wastewater infrastructure and cut treatment plant energy use and costs.

These funds are a critical resource that cities and towns rely on each year to plan and advance water infrastructure projects. Additionally, $143 million in funding will be made available to communities on a rolling basis throughout the year.

"The State Revolving Fund gives our communities the funds they need to keep Massachusetts a national leader in clean drinking water," said Governor Maura Healey. "Cities and towns count on this funding to move projects forward, and we are making sure they have the resources they need to upgrade aging systems, protect public health, and keep costs down for residents.

The State Revolving Fund (SRF) is administered by the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and finances projects implemented by cities and towns, regional water supply and wastewater treatment districts, and the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA). The awards include 41 wastewater construction projects totaling approximately $703 million and 29 drinking water construction projects totaling approximately $315 million.

An estimated $135 million will be used to provide loan forgiveness for eligible projects. Loan forgiveness is awarded to renewable energy projects and for projects in communities that meet the affordability criteria established by the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust. The affordability criteria factors in per capita income, unemployment rate and population trends. Loan forgiveness helps reduce costs for ratepayers and supports communities with fewer resources in moving forward with critical projects.

The SRF is composed of two programs that have provided $10.4 billion to Massachusetts projects: the Clean Water Fund, first capitalized in 1989; and the Drinking Water Fund, which began operation in 1999.

This year, the Clean Water SRF provides $728 million in support for clean water projects across Massachusetts. Approximately $413 million will finance 29 new construction projects and $289 million will be allocated towards financing 12 previously approved multi-year projects. Additionally, $13 million will be set aside to finance planning and PFAS design projects, $5 million will be allocated to the Community Septic Management Program to remediate failed septic systems in participating communities, and $4 million will support the Sewer Overflow and Reuse Program. The SRF will also set aside $3 million to fund an emergency reserve.

The Drinking Water SRF provides $434 million in support for drinking water projects. Approximately $167 million will finance 16 new construction projects and approximately $148 million will be allocated towards financing 13 previously approved multi-year projects. Additionally, $103 million will be set aside to finance lead service line replacement projects, $10 million will be set aside to finance planning and PFAS design projects, and $5 million will be used to fund an emergency reserve.

Massachusetts awards subsidized infrastructure financing under the SRF, which is administered by the Trust – a joint effort of MassDEP, the Executive Office of Administration and Finance and the State Treasurer’s Office.

To be eligible for Clean Water or Drinking Water SRF loans, municipalities, wastewater districts and water suppliers filed project evaluation forms with MassDEP last year demonstrating that proposed projects offer significant public health or water quality benefits. Once a community is offered financing, it must appropriate the necessary local project funds by June 30, 2026 and submit a completed project loan application to MassDEP by October 2, 2026 to continue with the loan process.

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Pittsfield Man Creates Device to Clear Lakes of Algae Blooms

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
08:07AM / Sunday, October 11, 2026

Marc Bellora holds a jar of lake water, left, to compare to water cleaned by his Aqua Clarifier Water System.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Marc Bellora has high hopes for a device he's created to treat lakes from harmful algae blooms.

His patented water clarifier can physically remove captured material rather than letting the nutrient-rich material settle back into the lake, which occurs when herbicides are used.

"It's a long-term lake management tool that can be used to reduce legacy nutrients in lakes and ponds over time," he explained. "We built the prototype, this is a prototype. It does approximately 65 to 70 gallons per minute. It's very environmentally friendly. Can be used with air only, or we can use a low-dose potable polyaluminum chloride (PACL) or chemical on board that can help improve results."

The water clarifier barge is based on well-proven technology for water treatment, he said. "It's a self-contained, portable, mobile unit that removes algae blooms, nitrogen, phosphorus, and the associated nitrogen and phosphorus within lakes."

Bellora founded Clear Waterways Group with business partner Mark Simon. They built a prototype mobile unit and are still working out the kinks. It's taken Bellora about five years to bring the project to fruition as he is also a full-time Realtor.

He says the repurposed barge they use has a device that uses air to filter the water to separate harmful bacteria or uses a chemical at low doses. They are testing both to see how well each does at cleaning the water.

"They would do the same thing here, except they would spray it, and it blocks all that stuff together," Bellora said of the use of herbicides. "But then it drops to the bottom. So now all the nutrients that are attached in that plot go to the bottom and contribute to the legacy nutrients only to fuel next year's bloom. Ours removes it."

He said just using air alone has removed 70 to 90 percent of harmful algae where he has been operating on the south end of Pontoosuc Lake.

"Essentially, we take in the bad stuff, we take in the lake water. We separate the good stuff from the bad stuff. Clean water goes back into the lake, and the bad stuff can either be composted, or it can be taken to the wastewater treatment plant, which is what we're doing here," he said.

Bellora explained that tiny air bubbles attach to particles in the water, making them buoyant so they rise and can be removed. The unit can operate with air alone, or with a low dose of potable polyaluminum chloride.

PACL helps through flocculation: it gathers small particles into larger clumps that are easier for air bubbles to capture. He said this can help remove dissolved nutrients that air alone may not capture as effectively.

Bellora said he was inspired to build something like this after noticing the lakes he enjoys being shut down because of algae blooms.

The city issued a health advisory for Pontoosuc in August, warning residents not to swim or come in contact with the lake water because of an algae bloom. The cyanobacteria can cause skin irritations, vomiting and diarrhea and nerve or liver problems.

Bellora previously worked for a company that used traditional dissolved air flotation (DAF) systems to treat water. In that role, he traveled around the country to work at paper mills and food-processing plants.

That experience gave him a practical understanding of DAF, and while flying between jobs, he would see green ponds and wonder whether the technology could be adapted to treat lakes.

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