Town of Wayland 5/20/21: Wayland Updates PFAS Response

The Town of Wayland issued a statement today regarding its continuing response to the presence of certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS6) in the Town’s public water supply at levels regulated by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP).

All Town residents should have received a second mailing detailing the the Town’s PFAS6 levels and their efforts to quickly bring the water system into compliance. The second mailer was issued on Monday, May 5, 2021 and contained additional information related to PFAS6 as required by MassDEP.

The Town is actively exploring all available options related to both the short-term and long-term treatment plans for PFAS6. Most recently, Town Administrator Louise Miller formed a PFAS6 working group consisting of representatives from across a wide spectrum of Town Departments and Boards / Committees. The working group meets weekly and has initiated a number of operational, planning, and financial steps to address this issue including: 1) the Town coordinated a meeting held May 3 among the four (4) boards most effected by PFAS which was moderated by the Wayland Board of Selectmen, 2) Board of Health is seeking additional guidance on PFAS from experts in the field, 3) in the May 3rd joint meeting, the Finance Committee and Board of Public Works (BoPW) voted in favor of including the funding of a short-term solution as part the Town’s Capital Budget Funding Article at Annual Town Meeting on May 15, 2021.

On May 4th, the Board of Public Works met and approved a short-term plan for bringing the Town’s drinking water back into MassDEP compliance based on their discussions with the Wayland DPW Director, Wayland Water Superintendent, MassDEP Director, and the engineering firm of Tata & Howard. The plan includes leasing a skid-mounted ion exchange filtering system that will hopefully be in place by mid-June, pending MassDEP emergency permitting and procurement. If this pilot solution is deemed effective by MassDEP after the trial period, the system would be winterized.

Chair of the Board of Public Works Michael Wegerbauer stated, “the Board of Public Works has been actively working with the Director of Public Works, MassDEP, and the Town’s engineering firm to arrive at the most economical, expedient, and effective short-term solution to bring the Town’s drinking water back into MassDEP regulatory compliance. We also initiated work with our engineering firms to evaluate options for a long-term solution.” Town Administrator Louise Miller stated, “the Town is actively pursuing a number of longer term solutions relative to PFAS6 treatment. I am hopeful that these initiatives will culminate in a comprehensive roadmap which the Town can follow for years to come and will ensure safe drinking water long into the future.”

The Town announced a number of additional initiatives, including transitioning from the distribution of bottled water to the establishment of a rebate system in which any Town residents identified by MassDEP as being part of the “sensitive subgroups,” will be eligible for a rebate on their water bill. Additionally, the Town is developing an expanded PFAS6 monitoring plan to test in proximity of the wells in question to determine if there are potential sources. Further information on the rebate program will be made available later this week on the Town’s PFAS6 webpage. The Town also announced the expansion of its webpage to include more extensive Q & A section and updated links to additional PFAS6 information. www.wayland.ma.us/PFAS

Information Links

• Town of Wayland’s PFAS informational webpage. https://www.wayland.ma.us/pfas
• EPA’s health advisory of 70 ppt for PFAS in drinking water: https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/drinking-water-health-advisories-pfoa-and-pfos-questions-and-answers
• EPA’s research page on PFAS: https://www.epa.gov/chemical-research/research-and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas
• MassDEP PFAS information for consumers: https://www.mass.gov/doc/massdep-fact-sheet-pfas-in-drinking-water-questions-and-answers-for-consumers/download
• MassDEP information about bottled water and home filtration systems: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/per-and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas
• PFAS Press Release 05.20.2021