MWRA Advisory Board Celebrates Burlington’s Admission to the Water System
The MWRA Advisory Board is pleased to celebrate the formal admission of the town of Burlington to the MWRA water system on September 7, 2023, at a ceremony attended by Lieutenant Governor Driscoll.
This is a significant achievement for Burlington and the region. Burlington has struggled to meet its water demand and water quality challenges with its local sources including 1,4 dioxane and more recently PFAS , and connecting to the MWRA will allow them to access the nation’s best drinking water, sourced from pristine reservoirs and delivered through a state-of-the-art monitored system.
The MWRA Advisory Board led the charge by recommending that the MWRA Board of Directors waive the entrance fee for Burlington. We are grateful to the Board of Directors for their support of this recommendation. This waiver helped to make the connection more affordable for Burlington and allowed them to move forward with their project more quickly.
The process of connecting Burlington to the MWRA water system took several years and required the participation of many stakeholders, including the Town of Burlington, the Advisory Board, the MWRA, MassDEP, Burlington’s business community, the Town of Lexington and other state agencies that helped to provide funding such as the MassWorks program.
We commend all of the stakeholders who worked together to make this project a success. Burlington’s admission to the MWRA water system is an example of how system expansion can be achieved for all of the other communities looking to join the system.
We are excited to see Burlington join the MWRA water system and we look forward to working with them to ensure that they have a reliable and sustainable water supply for years to come.
Burlington Can Serve as an Example
Burlington’s experience can serve as an example for other communities that are considering connecting to the MWRA water system. It is important to have the support of all stakeholders, including the Advisory Board, the MWRA Board of Directors, and state agencies. It is also important to be patient and persistent, as the process can take several years to complete.
We encourage other communities to learn more about the MWRA water system and to contact the MWRA Advisory Board if they have any questions. We are here to help communities achieve their water supply goals.
