MARION — More than $600,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding has been awarded to Marion in order to install and replace generators at the town’s water pumping stations.

Plymouth County Commissioner Jared Valanzola and state Sen. Marc Pacheco presented the award Tuesday, Oct. 1 to the Marion Select Board.

The $625,000 will be used to replace or install generators at water pumping stations in Marion, such that every station will have a new generator. Town Meeting voters also approved $675,000 for the project in May.

Pacheco said ARPA funds were “critical” to the country successfully functioning “during a very difficult time” and continuing “to function with important programs,” which included the generator project.

“It is so important that the taxpayers that we all serve see that government can work for them, and that’s what this award, I think, is a signal of,” Pacheco said.

The American Rescue Plan Act is a $1.9 trillion relief package stimulus bill signed by President Joe Biden in 2021.  

The presentation of the award at the meeting was likely one of the last times Pacheco would be in Marion as the town’s state senator, he said. 

Pacheco announced earlier this year he would not seek another term as the 3rd Bristol and Plymouth district senator. He will have served 36 years total in the Massachusetts legislature. 

“This precious, fragile region is so important, and you all do such a fantastic job making sure that it stays that way,” Pacheco said.

With the ARPA funds and the money approved at Town Meeting, a total $1.3 million will be utilized to replace or install generators at the water pumping stations throughout Marion.