Weymouth receives grant for engineering and design work to repair Great Pond Dam

Weymouth, MA – The Baker-Polito Administration has awarded $150,000 to the Town of Weymouth for the engineering and design of repairs to the Great Pond Dam. Mayor Robert Hedlund was on-hand to accept the state funding at an event yesterday in Quincy alongside Representative James Murphy and Senator Patrick O’Connor. Weymouth’s award, funded by the Dam and Seawall Repair or Removal Fund and the Governor’s annual capital budget, is one of seven dam repair projects, five dam removal projects, and eight coastal protection reconstruction projects to receive state funding in fiscal year 2017, totaling more than $10 million in local assistance. 

“The Great Pond Dam is an invaluable piece of infrastructure for our community. It impounds Weymouth’s water supply, which services more than 16,000 customers, and provides critical protection to homes and roadways from downstream flooding. These funds will support crucial measures that will improve the dam’s reliability and ensure its continual service for water supply and public safety needs,” said Mayor Robert Hedlund.

Weymouth’s Great Pond Dam was constructed in 1884 and is a key component of the town’s water supply. The structure retains a 450-acre reservoir, is classified as a significant hazard level structure, and has been rated in fair condition. The Town’s Department of Public Works has proposed an evaluation and design program that will upgrade the dam to improve its condition rating and ensure compliance with current dam safety regulations, as well as protect downstream public infrastructure and environmental resources through improved flood control management.

“Through the Dam and Seawall Repair or Removal Fund, we hope to protect our communities and natural resources from the effects of strong storms and ensure dams and seawalls across the state are not a threat to public safety,” said Governor Charlie Baker in a statement from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. “Our administration is focused on proactively increasing the resiliency of the Commonwealth’s infrastructure and helping cities and towns prepare for the impacts of climate change.”

The Dam and Seawall Repair or Removal Program was established in 2013 by the state legislature to assist communities and groups across Massachusetts in addressing deteriorating dams and refurbishing critical coastal infrastructure. As a Senator, Mayor Hedlund played a lead role in the program’s creation.