Even in the face of COVID-19, MyRWA is doing some of the most exciting and impactful work in the history of the organization. Most recently, we have leveraged ¾ million from three state grants to implement small, cost-effective green infrastructure improvements. The Town of Arlington, in partnership with MyRWA, piloted these designs last year. Now—we will be taking this small pilot project to-scale. Communities from Everett all the way to Winchester will implement trenches that will collectively have a big impact on phosphorus pollution and on future municipal practices.
More than $1.4 million in grants, recently announced by the Baker-Polito administration, will support six projects targeting water pollution in Massachusetts. Included in the funding is nearly $500,000 for the Mystic River Watershed Association.
The grant totaling $498,715 will go toward installing 50 smaller-scale infiltration trenches in three communities, providing cost-effective phosphorus reduction in the Mystic River. The state used money from the Environmental Protection Agency to fund the grants.
During a storm, rain washes over our streets picking up pollutants such as fertilizer and dog poop, and flows through storm drains, untreated, directly into the our waterways—yes, any pet waste and car oil on the streets end up in our Mystic. These infiltration trenches will reduce the amount of unfiltered stormwater reaching our river. Check out MyRWA’s stormwater pollution webpage to learn more.
