An Act relative to funding water infrastructure and addressing economic target areas

This bill creates the Commonwealth Water Infrastructure Trust Fund, financed by new fees charged by cities and towns for water/sewer connections ($250 for residential, $1,000 for commercial/industrial). The fund distributes 50% of collected fees back to the cities/towns that collected them for local water infrastructure projects, 40% to the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust, and 5% each to the Department of Environmental Protection (for economic target areas) and the Department of Revenue (for administration). Municipalities receiving funds must report annually on project use, and the Department of Environmental Protection must create a specific initiative to assist municipalities in economic target areas with water infrastructure planning. The bill directly affects local governments, the Clean Water Trust, and the DEP, with funding flowing without needing annual legislative approval.