BOSTON (WWLP) – There are four buildings in western Massachusetts that were awarded grant money to address elevated levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water.
PFAS chemicals were widely used in the 1950s to manufacture common consumer products and used in some legacy fire-fighting foams. Drinking water may have been contaminated if PFAS deposited into the soil seeps into groundwater or surface water.
Ardor Crossfit and Fitness in Monson, Golden Eagle Restaurant in Clarksburg, Swift River Elementary School in New Salem, and Hopping Ahead Brewery in Northfield have been awards various grants for long-term actions to address PFAS. The funding was awarded to small public water suppliers who provide drinking water to fewer than 3,300 users by the Healey-Driscoll Administration.
The protective standard was finalized in October 202 by MassDEP of 20 parts-per-trillion (ppt) for PFAS in drinking water, as well as cleanup standards for soil and groundwater. Water systems are required to eliminate or minimize the threat to public health by turning off a contaminated water source, connecting to a neighboring water supply, or taking other steps to ensure that clean drinking water is available to all system users.
The following small public water supply systems have been awarded PFAS grants:
- Carriage House Condominiums, Boxborough – $63,126
- The grant is a reimbursement for expenses related to the 2021 installation of a PFAS filtration system, including design, engineering, and construction costs.
- Codman Hill Condominiums, Boxborough – $108,754
- The grant will help with the design and permitting of a PFAS treatment system to add to the existing treatment system for their drinking water well.
- United Church of Christ, Boxborough – $16,299
- The grant will reimburse the applicant for a treatment system that was installed last year.
- Waterview Mobile Home Park, Carver – $89,425
- The grant supports completion of the installation of a granular activated carbon (GAC) treatment system in a community of elderly and disadvantaged residents.
- Golden Eagle Restaurant, Clarksburg – $50,000
- The grant will be utilized for testing and installation of a new drinking water well on the property.
- South Grafton Water District, Grafton – $50,000
- The grant will support the design of a long-term PFAS treatment system.
- 28 Hastings Street Corp., Mendon – $50,000
- The grant will support the design, permitting and construction of a PFAS treatment system.
- Henry P. Clough School, Mendon – $31,555
- The grant is a reimbursement for the design, permitting and installation of a PFAS treatment system that went online last year.
- Miscoe Hill Middle School, Mendon – $50,000
- The grant is a reimbursement for the design, purchase, and installation of a PFAS treatment system, adding GAC filtration to the existing drinking water treatment system.
- Ardor Crossfit and Fitness, Monson – $39,669
- The grant will help with the design, permitting and installation of a PFAS treatment system.
- Swift River Elementary School, New Salem – $100,000
- The grant will assist with the design, permitting and installation of a PFAS treatment system using anion exchange resin to add to the applicant’s existing drinking water treatment system.
- Hopping Ahead Brewery, Northfield – $38,079
- The grant will reimburse for the design, engineering, and installation of a PFAS treatment system.
- Petersham Town Hall, Petersham – $35,000
- The grant will support the design, permitting and construction of a PFAS treatment system.
- Phillipston Memorial Building, Phillipston – $50,000
- The grant will help with the design, permitting and construction of a PFAS treatment system with anion exchange vessels to add to the existing drinking water treatment system.
- New Testament Church of Cedarville, Plymouth – $50,000
- The grant will help add PFAS treatment using granular activated carbon (GAC) to their existing drinking water treatment system.
- Princeton Town Campus and First Congregational Church of Princeton – $48,660
- The grant will help with installation of a Point-of-Entry (POET) treatment system at the Town Hall Campus. A similar system is being installed at the church.
- Pilot Grove Apartments, Stow – $21,925
- The grant will fund the addition of a new PFAS treatment system with anion exchange vessels, added to the existing drinking water treatment system, which serves 134 residential users.
- Pilot Grove Apartments II, Stow – $21,925
- The grant will fund the addition of a new PFAS treatment system with anion exchange vessels, added to the existing drinking water treatment system, which serves 175 residential users.
- Sutton Public Schools, Sutton – $48,466
- The grant will help with the purchase and installation of a PFAS treatment system and associated engineering services.
- River Crossing Condominiums, Tyngsboro – $17,417
- The grant will be a reimbursement for the design and engineering of a treatment system that was developed due to PFAS6 levels over 20 ppt.
- Maynard State, LLC, Westport – $69,700
- The grant will help with the design and installation of a PFAS treatment system.
“I am heartened to see schools, businesses, and municipal buildings in our district receive PFAS remediation grants. Constituents gather at these places, drink the water, and I will breathe easier knowing these funds are in place to address concerning levels of PFAS,” said State Senator Jo Comerford (D-Northampton). “My sincere thanks to MassDEP for confronting the PFAS challenge head on. Count me in as a partner now and in the days ahead.”
“The grant funds supporting New Salem and Petersham are indispensable to addressing the challenges PFAS poses to our drinking water systems,” said State Representative Aaron Saunders (D-Belchertown). “I want to thank Commissioner Heiple, Secretary Tepper, and Governor Healey for their continued recognition of the challenges our small and rural communities face. I look forward to our continued work together to ensure the availability of clean drinking water for all of our residents.”
