GROVELAND– Superintendent Colin Stokes, Groveland Water and Sewer Department, and the Groveland Board of Water Commissioners would like to share information regarding the expected regulation changes.
State and federal drinking water regulations are expected to change and Groveland Water and Sewer would like to share the following information about the changes.
Groveland Water and Sewer is proactively working on options for the new regulation guidelines proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Once the new regulations are accepted by the state, Groveland will be expected to take immediate action.
The current regulations for PFAS public drinking water standard or Maximum Contaminant Level (MMCL), as published in 2020 by EPA, is 20 nanograms per liter (ng/L) or parts per trillion (ppt) applicable to the community. This regulation takes into account the concentrations of six specific PFAS.
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are man-made and do not break down quickly.
Currently, Groveland is well below the standard for the MMCL and has been sampling monthly and quarterly since 2021, with steady results of 4.1075 ppt at Well 1 and 4.392 ppt at Well 3.
The water is safe to drink per the current Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP).
As of March 2023, the EPA released a proposed National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for PFOA and PFOS, which is 4 ppt. This regulation would cover Four additional PFAS compounds, which will be measured using a Hazard Index. A Hazard Index is a calculation based upon a formula provided by the EPA.
Regulations are determined by the maximum contaminant level due to PFAS.
The Groveland Board of Water Commissioners is currently looking into a variety of options to meet these regulations. The goal is to find a solution with the least impact on residents and ratepayers. Options include:
- Building a water treatment/filtration plant in Groveland
- Finding sufficient new water sources that will comply with the upcoming PFAS regulations.
- Purchasing water from a neighboring community
The new regulations are currently expected to be adopted by the end of 2024, or early 2025. The timeline for compliance has not yet been determined.
Information about this process will be shared with residents as it becomes available.
###