The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority spent US$226.8 million on capital projects in FY2026, the year ended June 30, 2026, against a budget of US$380.3 million. That is about 40% below plan.
A bigger list of awards
The shortfall has not shrunk the pipeline. MWRA plans 60 contract awards worth US$508.7 million in FY2027. The largest is the US$70 million Deer Island Eastern Seawall, with notice to proceed targeted for May 2027. The FY2027 Final Capital Improvement Program, adopted on June 24, 2026, totals US$322.1 million, of which US$65.2 million is loans to member communities.
A cap and two projections
The Board's spending cap for FY2024 to FY2028 is about US$1.4 billion. Under the FY2027 Final Capital Improvement Program, spending counted against the cap is forecast at about US$1.1 billion after a 25% spend-rate adjustment, about US$309 million below the cap (September 2026). Earlier programs projected total spending for the period, including community loan programs that the cap excludes, of US$1.8 billion (FY2024) and US$2.0 billion (FY2026).
The tunnels come next
The biggest program has not yet reached construction. The Metropolitan Water Tunnel Program is estimated at about US$2.1 billion, with South Tunnel bidding planned for late 2027. Hatch holds the US$153.8 million construction management contract, and WSP the US$93.6 million final design contract.
Paying for it
FY2027 assessments rose about 2.5%. In September 2026 staff told the board that MWRA's drinking-water projects had not ranked high enough for state revolving fund support. The only new SRF borrowing approved, up to US$50 million, is for wastewater.
Which contracts are open, who already holds Deer Island and tunnel work, and where suppliers should focus first are set out in the full brief. The full report, Massachusetts Water Resources Authority: Utility Account Brief, is available for USD 499. For a free overview, read the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Utility Snapshot.