MIDDLEBORO — The Middleboro Water Department has recently been awarded the 2025 Utility of the Year Award by the New England Water Works Association, a water advocacy nonprofit.

The water department received the 2025 Utility of the Year Award for recent improvements made to the town’s water system. The award came on the heels of the town replacing water mains and the continued implementation of new water treatment plants.

"We take seriously our responsibility to protect public health and ensure clean drinking water for every household and business in Middleboro," stated Select Board Chair Mark Germain in a press release.

"Our success is the result of careful planning, smart investment, and a dedicated team of professionals who put the needs of the community first,” he added.

The New England Water Works Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to networking and educating water professionals to advocate for clean and safe drinking water. The regional association awards water utilities who make significant improvements to water infrastructure.

Middleboro won this year's award in the medium-sized utility category.

Over the past year, the town has been working towards the multimillion-dollar effort to address PFAS, or “forever chemicals”, in the municipal water supply. The East Grove Well is the site of a $33 million project to build a new treatment plant to decrease levels of PFAS.

Most recently, the Department of Public Works opened a free drinking water filling station to provide residents an additional resource for clean and safe drinking water in July.

Water Superintendent Michael Bumpus stated the recognition “reflects the strong leadership of our Select Board, who have made the protection and stewardship of our water resources one of their top priorities."