Peabody-State Senator Frederick E. Berry (D) has announced that Peabody will receive a $711, 511 award this year from the Commonwealth Sewer Rate Relief Fund.
The funds come from the current year's state budget, and will be administered to Peabody by the Department of Revenue, in compliance with the Department of Environmental Protection.
They will be distributed via the South Essex Sewerage District (SESD) and the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority (MWRA). It is meant to help cities and towns pay required fees to the SESD, ultimately keeping residents' water and sewer bills down.
The fund was established by the state legislature and Governor in 1992 to alleviate sewer rate increases caused by debt obligations for sewer construction projects.
Berry, in his tenth term as Peabody's state senator, said that he fought for the creation of the fund "years ago" because of his longstanding priority to "keep water and sewer rates affordable for the homeowners and businesses I represent."
"For me," he said, "this issue has always been about keeping the economy strong for North Shore residents."