BOSTON — The Baker-Polito Administration today announced the award of $1,281,450 to 12 public water suppliers to support immediate efforts to address elevated levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their drinking water. The funding, which will help offset the cost of initial responses implemented when “PFAS6” (the sum of six PFAS substances) exceeds the state standard of 20 parts-per-trillion (ppt), has been awarded to water suppliers in Abington and Rockland, Barnstable, Centerville, Osterville and Marstons Mills, Easton, Holbrook, Ipswich, North Attleborough, Pepperell, Randolph, Sharon, Wellesley, and Wayland. The grant program, which is the first round of funding for this work, is managed by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP).

“PFAS is an emerging contaminant of national concern that is known to have widespread health effects,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “These grants will provide critical funds needed to assist communities with the emergency and interim measures that must be taken to ensure their residents have drinking water that is safe, clean, and healthy to consume and use.”

“PFAS contamination presents a significant risk to public health, and this important funding will aid public water suppliers to quickly respond to the discovery of PFAS contamination in their drinking water supply,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “Our administration is proud to partner with local communities to help protect the health of their residents and the safety of the local drinking water supply.”

MassDEP anticipates offering up to three rounds of funding through the Interim PFAS6 Response Grant Program. Public water supply systems can use the funds to purchase and distribute bottled water, install water vending machines, purchase water and/or establish interconnections to alternative water sources, or take any other immediate action to provide safe drinking water to PFAS6-impacted water users. To assist communities that have already expended funds to address elevated levels of PFAS6, reimbursement is available for eligible costs.

“As public water suppliers test for elevated levels of PFAS, it is imperative that they take the necessary steps to ensure clean drinking water is available to all system users,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides. “These grants provide water suppliers with considerable flexibility to determine the interim solution that best suits their residents’ needs, while also ensuring the protection of the public health.”

“Under our state PFAS program, public water suppliers continue to test for these contaminants and when they are found, we are working closely with them to quickly assess the threat and address it,” said MassDEP Commissioner Martin Suuberg. “These grants can help cover costs for critical short-term measures in the event of PFAS6 contamination, including bottled water, filtration and water vending systems, or alternative water-source connections.”

The following public water supply systems that have been awarded PFAS6 grants are:

Abington and Rockland Joint Water Works – $132,965 The grant will provide the addition of chemicals at the treatment plant serving the communities of Abington and Rockland for temporary PFAS removal.

Barnstable Fire Department Water District – $150,000 The grant will support an interconnection with the Yarmouth water supply for the villages of Barnstable and Cummaquid.

COMM Water Department – $200,000 The grant will support the installation of temporary ion exchange vessels serving the communities of Centerville, Osterville, and Marstons Mills.

Easton DPW Water Department – $50,280 The grant will support a water rebate program and water vending units for the public.

Holbrook Department of Public Works – $67,800 The grant will support the use of water vending units for the public.

Town of Ipswich – $10,040 The grant will fund a portion of the submittal associated with temporary work to extend a water main to provide unimpacted water to the treatment plant.

Town of North Attleborough – $150,000 The grant will support the use of water vending units for the public.

Town of Pepperell – $26,805 The grant will assist with the costs of shutting down a drinking water well impacted by PFAS.

Randolph Department of Public Works – $43,560 The grant will support the use of water vending units for the public.

Sharon Water Department – $150,000 The grant will support the installation of temporary water treatment, as approved by MassDEP.

Wellesley Water Division – $150,000 The grant provides funding for a portion of the water purchased by the town from the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority.

Town of Wayland – $150,000 The grant provides funding for a portion of the bottled water purchased by the town.

“The safety of our drinking water is of paramount importance, and PFAS is a contaminate that must be closely monitored and remediated,” said Speaker of the House Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “This grant program will support public water systems as they continue to address PFAS contamination and work to make our drinking water safe for future generations.”

“Combating water pollution is essential to advancing environmental justice, safeguarding public health, and securing a sustainable and healthy future for all here in Massachusetts,” said State Senator Becca Rausch (D-Needham), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture. “These grants will be a tremendous help to our municipalities working to safeguard Bay Staters from contamination in public water supplies.”

“This welcome funding represents a small but meaningful step to addressing the PFAS pervasive in the South Shore, Massachusetts, and the United States,” said State Senator John Keenan (D-Quincy). “I look forward to continuing to partner with my local, state and federal colleagues to come up with the additional funding needed for a comprehensive solution so that the residents of Abington, Holbrook, and Rockland can have full confidence in the quality of their drinking water.”

“This grant is will bolster North Attleborough's efforts to combat contamination in our local bodies of water,” said State Representative Adam Scanlon (D-North Attleboro). “PFAS has imposed significant strains on our local resources, but we have remained vigilant in our efforts to promote public health and protect our environment. This funding allows our community to continue improving our water quality, and not only ensures the safety of our residents, but also the preservation of local natural resources. I am so grateful for the wonderful collaboration between the Commonwealth, our office, and our local officials on this important project.”

“The Abington/Rockland Joint Water Works has received a grant that will address the ongoing PFAS water problems. The award will allow for much needed additional chemicals that will aide with the treatment plant for the temporary removal of PFAS from the water,” said State Representative Alyson Sullivan (R-Abington). “This will have a great impact on our communities here in Abington and Rockland. PFAS is something that has affected our community for some time now and this grant will ensure that our residents’ drinking water is safe. Thank you to the Administration for their tireless work and dedication to the Abington/Rockland Joint Water Works.”

To support this program, the Baker-Polito Administration has allocated $2 million in operating funds. This funding is in addition to the $28.4 million secured by the Administration in two supplemental budgets for water infrastructure and PFAS testing. Through the supplemental budget, $20 million was appropriated to the Commonwealth’s Clean Water Trust, providing financing that can be used by communities to address contamination issues.

More than $8.4 million of this funding supports a statewide sampling program for public water supplies and private wells, including a grant program to support design of PFAS treatment. Conducting statewide testing of drinking water for PFAS is providing the data to support MassDEP’s strategy for treatment and mitigation of this emerging contaminant. In September 2020, the Administration announced the first round of grants to support design of PFAS treatment, awarding $1.9 million to 10 public water supply systems, and announced a second round in March 2021, awarding $3 million to 17 public water supply systems. 

PFAS compounds are a family of chemicals widely used since the 1950s to manufacture common consumer products and used in some legacy fire-fighting foams. Drinking water may become contaminated if PFAS deposited onto the soil seeps into groundwater or surface water. PFAS have been linked to a variety of health risks, particularly in women who are pregnant or nursing, and in infants. In October, the Baker-Polito Administration established a protective standard of 20 ppt for PFAS in drinking water and required water systems to regularly test for the contaminants. There are currently no federal PFAS standards for drinking water. 

All community public water systems are required to test for PFAS6. Large public water supplies, those serving a population of 50,000 or more, were required to begin their initial PFAS6 tests as of January 1, 2021. Public water supplies serving populations between 10,000 and 50,000 began initial tests April 1, 2021, and those serving a population of less than 10,000 began testing on October 1, 2021. For additional information on the PFAS6 Response Grant Program, click here.

MassDEP’s mission is to protect and enhance the Commonwealth’s natural resources – air, water and land – to provide for the health, safety and welfare of all people, and a clean and safe environment for future generations. In carrying out this mission, MassDEP commits to address and advance environmental justice and equity for all people of the Commonwealth, provide meaningful, inclusive opportunities for people to participate in agency decisions that affect their lives, and ensure a diverse workforce that reflects the communities served by the agency.

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