Water Commission receives grants to protect reservoirs

Date: 2/11/2009

By Ashlene Ferris

Staff Intern



SRINGFIELD Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Ian Bowles and Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) Commissioner Laurie Burt recently announced $2 million in grants that will help protect more than 480 acres of land.

The Springfield Water and Sewer Commission received two of the nine Drinking Water Supply Protection Grants totaling approximately $235,000 for the Weidhaas Property Project and the Ripley Property Project. The grants are designed to help municipalities and water suppliers acquire land that protects public drinking water resources.

Bowles explained that the partnership between the Patrick Administration and local communities will ensure that residents have a safe and clean water supply today and into the future.

"An abundant supply of clean water is one of our most precious resources," Bowles said. "Conserving parcels of open land is vital to protecting many of our drinking water supplies."

State funding for the grant came from the environmental bond bill passed by lawmakers in 2008. The Commonwealth has invested more than $11.8 million since the grant program's inception in 2005, helping to protect 2,655 acres of land.

Kathy Peterson of the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission said that the commission is very pleased that two grants were approved. She explained that the grants will be used to protect the property and to purchase conservation reservoirs on the property.

"It's very important to the commission to protect the land around us and the water shed areas," Peterson said. "Our first line of defense is to provide clean water for drinking."

The Weidhaas Property Project has proposed to use their allocation to place 95 acres in Russell under a conservation restriction, protecting the headwaters of the Intake Reservoir in the Little River Gorge. The reservoir serves more than 250,000 people in East Longmeadow, West Springfield, Springfield, Agawam and Ludlow. The Weidhaas Property is the final link in the protection of more than 1,600 acres of protected land.

The Ripley Property Project will use the grant money to place 80 acres in Granville under a conservation restriction. This will enhance drinking water quality protection of the Cobble Mountain and Border Brook reservoirs.