PFAS Update Memo 7.21.21

On June 30th, 2021, the Board of Public Works held a public meeting to deliberate the various options related to the short-term treatment of PFAS6 at the Town’s Happy Hollow wellfield location. After careful consideration of all options, the Board members voted for a treatment option that, once implemented, will allow the Town to operate the Happy Hollow wellfield with non-detectable levels of PFAS.

 

The contract for the lease and installation of the equipment required for PFAS6 treatment is currently being negotiated. The Town has issued a notice of award to ECT2. As part of the contract negotiation, the logistics and cost of offloading the equipment are being evaluated based on the location and the weight of the cranes required to bring the equipment to the planned treatment location. While MassDEP has approved the short-term solution, the contract cannot be signed until the Town has received the permit. The Public Works Director will work with the Conservation Agent to determine whether any modifications need to be made to the emergency certification permitting the work at Happy Hollow based on the size of the cranes required for offloading the equipment.

 

A concrete pad with a building enclosure for the treatment equipment will be built to provide protection and winterization for the equipment. Tata and Howard is designing the pad and enclosure. Once the design is complete, the construction will be bid. Construction of the pad must be completed prior to delivery of the equipment and construction of the building will occur after installation.

 

Monthly sampling of the Town’s drinking water wells continues. The test results appear stable at this time. They continue to be posted on the Town’s website as they are received. MassDEP requires that public notices be distributed to households every quarter when the water supply exceeds regulated levels of PFAS6. This notice was mailed late last week and should be delivered by the end of July.

 

There are currently 626 households receiving water bill rebates based on the status of a member of the household being in a sensitive population for PFAS6 as defined by the MassDEP. We anticipate that rebates will continue through October, 2021, depending on when the treatment equipment becomes operational and the receipt of test results below PFAS6 regulated levels. The rebate program costs approximately $20,000 per month.

 

The Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for the wax that is believed to have been disposed of at the High School Wastewater Treatment Plant in February 2017 were obtained. The MSDS do not reflect the presence of PFAS6. However, because the PFAS6 compounds are not regulated in manufacture, the Health Director has asked for guidance from Mark Smith, director of MassDEP’s Office of Research and Standards.

 

The sourcing maps showing the location of testing wells is now available on the Town’s PFAS web page. Weston and Sampson will begin testing ahead of finalization of a contract. Public Notice

 

Public Works Director Tom Holder spoke at a Massachusetts Interagency PFAS Task Force about the impact of the PFAS6 regulations on municipalities.

 

The House of Representatives passed the PFAS Action Act on July 21, 2021. The PFAS Action Act will:

 

• Roll back PFAS contamination in the environment by requiring cleanup of sites contaminated with PFAS chemicals, setting air emission limits, prohibiting unsafe incineration of PFAS, and limiting the introduction of new PFAS chemicals in consumer and industry products;

• Verify health risks by requiring comprehensive health testing for all PFAS chemicals, reporting of PFAS releases, and monitoring for PFAS in drinking water;

• Limit human exposure to PFAS by instituting a drinking water standard for PFAS that protects public health, including the health of vulnerable groups like pregnant women, infants, and children.

 

The Act is now pending in the United States Senate and has been referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.