Local Towns Will Have To Meet Stringent New PFAS Standard

CHATHAM – While PFAS levels coming directly out of one town well are slightly above new federal standards for the so-called forever chemicals, treating and blending the water brings the reading down to an undetectable level, according to officials.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which have been linked to cancer, liver, heart and immune and developmental damage in infants and children, were first detected in Wells 5 and 8 in 2021. Well 8 remains offline, but a temporary treatment facility was installed to filter water from Well 5. The well has been shut down for the winter but is expected to come online this week, said Director of Public Works Robert Faley.

A permanent PFAS treatment facility is in the works; a low bidder was recently chosen from among three contractors that submitted proposals for the project.

No source has been identified for the PFAS in the two Chatham wells.

“We’ve always tested all of our wells, and always informed the public when we have a hit, even on the raw water side,” he said.

“Raw water” refers to water pumped directly out of the ground prior to any treatment. PFAS levels in the raw water from Well 5 were five parts per trillion (ppt), but when that water is treated and blended with water from other town wells, PFAS is undetectable, Faley said.

The current Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection PFAS limit is 10 ppt. The new federal Environmental Protection Agency standard announced last week is four ppt for two types of PFAS and 10 ppt for two other chemicals. Public water systems have three years to complete initial monitoring for the chemicals, according to the EPA, and systems that detect PFAS above the new standards will have five years to implement solutions to reduce PFAS in drinking water. Water systems must also notify the public if levels of regulated PFAS exceed the new standards.

The EPA estimates that between 6 and 10 percent of the nation’s public drinking water systems may be required to address the new standards. Federal funds will be available to help with the cost of treatment. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes $9 billion to address testing and treatment of PFAS and other emerging contaminants.

Chatham will spend more than $15 million to build a PFAS treatment facility. Winston Builders Corporation of Westboro was the low bidder on the project at $15,862,889. Faley said he had confidence in the company, which also built a water treatment facility off Morton Road.

“We’ve had a good track record with them,” he told the select board April 9.

PFAS was detected in another town well, Well 6, In January. Levels in the raw water from the well were initially at 7.2 ppt, later dropping to 3.6 ppt. When blended with water from other wells, PFAS was undetectable.

The state has yet to issue testing guidelines based on the new federal standards, said Faley, but he was confident that Chatham will have no problem complying.

“We’re pretty far ahead of the game,” he said, noting that Chatham has been dealing with PFAS for several years now. “We’re being very active and are out ahead of a lot of other towns in the area.”