Press Release: 10/16/2026
Treasurer Goldberg and Clean Water Trust Celebrate Over $10 Billion in Loans to Cities, Towns, and Water Utilities Across Massachusetts
WORCESTER — The Massachusetts Clean Water Trust (the Trust) and State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg celebrated a historic milestone today, surpassing over $10 billion in water infrastructure loans provided to cities and towns across the Commonwealth. The accomplishment was commemorated during a ceremony at Worcester City Hall, where, the Trust and the State Treasurer’s Office, along with their partners at the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), recognized nine representatives from six communities or water utilities that have taken on State Revolving Fund (SRF) projects and championed clean water.
The Trust and MassDEP administer the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund programs, providing low-interest loans and grants to help communities invest in critical water infrastructure and meet the requirements of the Clean Water and Safe Drinking Water Acts. These investments support a wide range of essential projects, such as the replacement of aging water mains, the removal of lead service lines, and upgrades to drinking water treatment facilities. With the closing of the Series 27 SRF Bond Sale, the Trust has provided over $10 billion in financing to nearly 300 communities, serving 97% of the Commonwealth’s population.
Worcester, Upper Blackstone Clean Water, Springfield Water & Sewer Commission, Tri-Town Regional Water Treatment Plant, Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, and Orleans all received awards for their SRF projects.
State Treasurer and Chair of the Trust’s Board of Trustees, Deborah Goldberg, welcomed and commended the commitment to providing clean water and resilient infrastructure to communities.
“Every community deserves safe, reliable access to clean water, and the Trust is proud to help make that possible. Through strategic investments and strong partnerships, we are helping communities improve their water systems, protect public health, and support economic growth. We look forward to building on this progress and ensuring these critical needs remain a priority.”
“Every community deserves access to clean drinking water and reliable water infrastructure,” said Governor Maura Healey. “These investments are helping cities and towns make critical upgrades that protect public health, strengthen infrastructure and keep our communities safe. We’re grateful for our partnership with Treasurer Goldberg and the Clean Water Trust to deliver more than $10 billion in financing to communities across Massachusetts.”
As the event’s host, Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty spoke on their city’s dedication to water infrastructure investment, and the critical need for strong local, state and federal partnerships.
“It’s an honor to welcome the Clean Water Trust and our state and federal partners to Worcester City Hall to celebrate this historic $10 billion milestone,” said Mayor Petty. “Here in Worcester, we are deeply dedicated to proactive water infrastructure investment, knowing that clean water is foundational to the health, safety, and economic vitality of our community. Today’s celebration is a powerful reminder that safeguarding our most vital resources is not something any municipality can achieve alone, it requires the strong, sustained collaboration of local, state, and federal partnerships working together toward a resilient future.”
Executive Director for the Trust, Sue Perez, emceed Thursday’s ceremony. Of the milestone financing, Perez said, “I am proud of the work the Trust has done over the years to get to $10 billion in loans. These loans impact residents’ day to day lives even though it can go unseen. The investments we have made with our cities and towns across the Commonwealth allow for access to clean drinking water and remediation of wastewater, all of which is crucial for a modern functioning society.”
Since 2022, Massachusetts has received historic levels of investment into its water infrastructure through the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act Funding or “IIJA”. Nearly $1 billion in federal funding has been provided between 2022 and 2026 allowing the Trust to finance $3.8 billion in loans during that time.
“Reaching this $10 billion milestone has required collaboration across municipal and state government, and it reflects communities served and strengthened, infrastructure protected, and Massachusetts families who know their water supply is safe,” said Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew J. Gorzkowicz. “My team and I are proud to be partners with Treasurer Goldberg and the Clean Water Trust in ensuring clean water and resilient infrastructure across Massachusetts, and we look forward to continuing this critical work.”
The Massachusetts Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program has prioritized remediation projects for emerging contaminants such as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and Lead.
MassDEP Commissioner Bonnie Heiple highlighted the importance of the state’s drinking water and clean water loan and grant programs, “The State Revolving Fund is our most powerful tool for replacing outdated water infrastructure — ensuring clean drinking water, strengthening our wastewater systems, and protecting public health. This remarkable milestone reflects years of unprecedented investment in communities across Massachusetts. We look forward to continuing to maximize every resource available to us and directing critical funding where it is needed most.”
City Manager Eric D. Batista received an award on behalf of the City of Worcester for two clean water SRF projects upgrading and improving the city’s sewer system and pump station.
“The City of Worcester would not be able to reliably provide clean water to 210,000 plus residents 24/7 without the Clean Water Trust’s State Revolving Funds,” said Batista. “The City’s most recent allocation of $5.5M will be used to help monitor the flow of our nearly 400 miles of sewer to gain insight into future sewer system rehabilitation and upgrade our Lake Avenue Pump Station. These are critical efforts that allow us to keep our water system running and providing clean drinking water that are made possible thanks to the Clean Water Trust, MassDEP, the Northeast Region 1 EPA, Treasury, and the Governor’s cabinet.”
See the full list of Milestone Award Recipients:
- City of Worcester
Eric Batista, City Manager
Projects: City Wide Sewer Flow Monitoring and Infiltration/Inflow Analysis, Lake Avenue Pump Station Improvements
- Upper Blackstone Clean Water
Karla H. Sangrey, Engineer Director and Treasurer
Project: Standby Power for Resiliency
- Springfield Water & Sewer Commission
Joshua Schimmel, Executive Director
Projects: Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility Grit Removal System Upgrade, Water Treatment Plant Replacement Phase 2B
- Tri-Town Regional Water District
Erin Joyce, Mayor, Braintree
Brian Howard, Town Manager, Randolph
Anne Mahoney, Town Administrator, Holbrook
Project: Tri-Town Regional Water Treatment Plant
- Massachusetts Water Resources Authority
Matthew Horan, Deputy Director, Finance/Treasurer
Stephen Estes-Smargiassi, Interim Executive Director
Project: Deer Island Treatment Plant Clarifier #2 Improvements
- Town of Orleans
Kevin Galligan, Chair, Orleans Select Board, Member, Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund
Project: Meetinghouse Pond Area Collection System and Pump Station
For More Information
For more information on our different loan programs, please visit the SRF Programs page and our Loan Forgiveness Program page. For information on past meetings or to find project descriptions, please visit the Board of Trustees Meeting Information page. For information on how to apply for an SRF loan, please visit Mass DEP's State Revolving Fund Applications and Forms page.
About the Clean Water Trust
Since its establishment in 1989, the Trust has loaned roughly $10.4 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.