SAUGUS — At the Board of Selectmen meeting on Thursday, Wendy Hatch, the town’s Finance Director and Treasurer/Collector, asked for approval of a 0% interest loan through the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust for a sewer rehabilitation project for subsystem 3A.

According to Hatch, the subsystem is located on Route 1 at Walmart to the north, the middle and high school complex to the south, Forest Street to the west, and Vine Street to the east.

“The construction project includes rehabilitation of pipelines, manholes, and services necessary to eliminate inflow and infiltration from the system,” Hatch said.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), infiltration is water other than sanitary flow that enters a sewer system from the ground through defective pipes, pipe joints, connections, and manholes. Inflow is water that enters a sewer system from sources such as roof leaders, cellar drains, manhole covers, cross connections between storm sewers and sanitary sewers, storm waters, surface runoff, and sump pump discharges.

Hatch said the project would include installing a lining system to improve the quality of service at mainline connections.

“Additionally, there are 174 manholes that have been identified as in need of additional rehabilitation, using the latest standards of the industry,” she said.

Board of Selectman chair Debra Panetta agreed with the project, saying, “I think it’s important that we stay proactive and keep up with infrastructure in town.”

The board unanimously approved the interest loan.