Water panel urges Acton to fund stormwater fixes

Finance Committee · Meeting of September 29, 2026

Acton's Finance Committee heard a water advisory panel's call for dedicated stormwater funding and got a $23 million DPW building estimate. Water Resources Advisory Committee member Barry Rosen said Acton needs a reliable, dedicated funding source, either an expanded stormwater revolving fund or a new stormwater utility, to cover roughly $1 million a year in repairs identified by a 2022 Woodard & Curren study. Finance Committee member Jason argued the cost belongs inside the property tax levy, saying stormwater "is a core responsibility of the town," while a new stormwater working group including Finance Committee members begins weighing options.

Town Manager John Mandirati said the DPW facility's most recent public cost estimate is "just under 23 million," with an updated figure due by the end of October ahead of a possible winter special town meeting. State Sen. Eldridge and state Rep.

Sena briefed the committee on a $780,000 increase in Chapter 70 aid for the Acton-Boxborough Regional School District and roughly $1 trillion in federal funding losses to Massachusetts. Mandirati also reported FY26 local receipts of $8.35 million against a $6.5 million budget, driven largely by $840,000 in investment income.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 3,717 words

Source: the Finance Committee meeting of September 29, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.