ROCKLAND – The communities of Rockland and Abington were recently selected as the recipients of a combined $2.24 million in funding through the MassWorks Infrastructure Program to fund improvements at the Abington-Rockland Joint Water Works’ for Myers Avenue Water Treatment Plant.
Additionally, the Town of Rockland was also awarded $195,000 in funding for remediation work at a property formerly occupied by Estes Auto Supply.
“We aren’t just celebrating the presentation of nearly $2.5 million in funding today. We are celebrating the commitment of so many to providing plentiful and safe drinking water in Abington and Rockland, and to finishing the cleanup of contaminated land,” said Senator John Keenan. “These MassWorks and Brownfields projects show that good environmental policy has a positive impact on the health and well-being of residents and will open the door to investments in their local economies.”
The MassWorks grant will fund construction of a new clearwell storage tank and pumping equipment for the Abington-Rockland Joint Water Works, which will allow for the activation of an additional drinking water well. The current system operates at full capacity, which has constrained Abington and Rockland’s efforts to build more housing and support business development. With these upgrades, the Abington-Rockland Joint Water Works will be able to increase its production of water by approximately 160,000 gallons per day, which is enough water to support 12 proposed private developments consisting of workforce and multi-family housing, low-income senior housing, and a range of retail, commercial, and mixed-use developments in both towns.
“The Abington-Rockland Joint Water Works’ Myers Avenue Water Treatment Plant Capacity Upgrade will increase Rockland and Abington’s potable water supply enabling key development projects to move forward supporting critical economic development in the region,” said Michael O’Loughlin, Chairman, Rockland Board of Selectmen.
“We are happy to have partnered with the Administration in securing these much needed funds, which will help projects in Rockland such as the Holy Family senior housing project, and other potential friendly development,” said Representative David F. DeCoste.
The $195,000 Rockland is receiving through the Brownfields Redevelopment Fund will fund the remediation of the .75-acre former Estes Auto Supply Brownfields Project site at 225 West Water St. before transferring the site to a developer to build up to eight units of housing.
State Senator John F. Keenan 