Tewksbury Awarded Over $9 Million In Federal Relief Funds

TEWKSBURY, MA — Tewksbury received over $9 million in federal relief funds as part of the American Rescue Plan, Town Manager Richard Montuori said.

The $1.9 trillion federal relief bill, passed in March, devotes $350 billion to state and local aid, including a $130 billion Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund. That fund will send over $3 billion to Massachusetts.

Around $1.7 billion will go to the state's 37 largest cities and towns, but $385 million will be split between the other 314 communities, by population.

Wilmington will get $3.26 million in direct funding, higher than an earlier $3.08 million estimate from the House Oversight and Reform Committee.

But it will also get a proportional portion of county funding, as Middlesex County was abolished in 1997. That means an additional $6.01 million, Perry wrote.

Combined, the town will get $9.319 million.

The Board of Selectmen voted Tuesday to approve town officials' plan to use the money on water distribution projects.

The funds will allow the town to hold water rates stable through Fiscal Year 2023 and ultimately save the average ratepayer $70.32 over five years. It will also advance water distribution projects by two to three years, officials said.

The meeting is available here from TewksburyTV.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.