BOSTON, MA (FRANKLIN COUNTY NOW) — The Connecticut River Watershed Council has been awarded a $50,000 grant as part of a statewide push to monitor water quality. The grants are administered by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and will be used for hands-on surface water monitoring, specifically in Disadvantaged Communities. 

From the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection:

BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced today $200,000 in Water Quality Monitoring Grant funding for five watershed coalitions across Massachusetts. Administered by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), these grants will support surface water monitoring efforts in rivers, lakes, ponds, and coastal resources in eastern Massachusetts, the Connecticut River Valley, and Cape Cod.

“MassDEP has long partnered with regional watershed coalitions and non-profit organizations to maintain a current assessment of the state of Massachusetts waterbodies,” said MassDEP Commissioner Bonnie Heiple. “This collaboration positions the Commonwealth to continue to be a leader in watershed management as we face a changing climate.”

The funding awarded today will be used for hands-on activities like collecting water samples, training local teams, and setting up ongoing programs to track water quality in the regions. The Water Quality Monitoring Grant program is designed to bring people and groups together, focusing on projects that are located in or will benefit Disadvantaged Communities. The program addresses surface water issues by testing water, talking with residents, and teaching people how to protect and improve their local water resources. 

The Healey-Driscoll Administration is committed to strengthening water monitoring efforts across Massachusetts. Clean, safe water is a cornerstone of Governor Healey’s Mass Ready Act, filed in June 2025. The bill includes critical investments to expand water monitoring and protect public health, helping ensure that all residents have reliable access to clean water.

The water quality data from these efforts will help MassDEP to implement program requirements under the federal Clean Water Act. Grants are available to eligible federally or state recognized Tribal Nations within the Commonwealth and non-profit organizations, including watershed groups, lake and pond associations, and other organizations with expertise in conducting surface water quality monitoring.

The grant recipients and project awards are:

Connecticut River Watershed Council d/b/a Connecticut River Conservancy – $50,000

• Organizations: Deerfield River Watershed Association, Fort River Watershed Association, Chicopee 4Rivers Watershed Council, Millers River Watershed Council, and X-Cel Conservation Corps

Buzzards Bay Coalition – $49,823

• Organizations: Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head Aquinnah Environmental Laboratory and Westport River Watershed Alliance 

Ipswich River Watershed Association – $33,398

• Organizations: Parker River Clean Water Association, Chebacco Lake and Watershed Association, and Friends of Hood Pond, Inc. 

Nashua River Watershed Association – $47,310

• Organizations: OARS 3 Rivers, Charles River Watershed Association, and Mystic River Watershed Association 

North and South Rivers Watershed Association – $19,469

• Organizations: Neponset River Watershed Association and Cohasset Center for Student Coastal Research 

For more information on this grant program, please visit the Water Quality Monitoring Grant program webpage.