Southborough committee moves to pursue state grants and studies for Route 9 wastewater system

The Town of Southborough Wastewater Study Committee on a virtual meeting organized leadership and agreed to pursue state grant support and technical studies to advance a wastewater plan focused on the Route 9 corridor.

Committee chair Al Hamilton, a member of the Select Board, said the group has met with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), consultants including Weston & Sampson and Lombardo Associates, and area developers as part of early fact‑finding. "Our primary target here is that we are trying to make the Town of Southborough more attractive for people to look to . . . their businesses in," Hamilton said, adding that lack of wastewater service is repeatedly cited by developers as a barrier.

The committee’s immediate procedural task is to file an expression of interest for the state’s multi‑agency "1 Stop" grant program; Claire Reynolds, who has been coordinating grant materials for the town, explained the EOI is a short submission (about 500 characters) that the state uses to direct applicants to the correct funding department and to screen proposals. "If you're going in completely the wrong direction, they will tell you or . . . which of the 12 departments under the whole 1 Stop umbrella will be the best one for you to apply…