The Board of Water Commissioners has approved the construction of Groveland’s first water treatment plant, which will help the Town meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) updated PFAS guidelines.
The project is expected to provide a double benefit beyond PFAS reduction. A major component includes replacing aging water mains, significantly reducing water discoloration from naturally occurring iron and manganese.
The plant will use a two-stage treatment process to remove both naturally occurring iron and manganese as well as PFAS compounds. Water will first pass through greensand filters to remove iron and manganese, which would otherwise clog the Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) filters that are used to extract PFAS.
While Groveland’s current water supply is well within safety standards — and is ranked among the cleanest in Essex County by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) — the town has occasionally exceeded the action level for PFAS, and the town experiences discoloration, especially during peak usage times, due to iron and manganese that is naturally present in the groundwater. Historically, the town has explored options in the past but this is the first time Groveland will construct a facility to treat or filter its water supply.
Groveland has prepared for EPA changes by working closely with third-party engineering firm Apex Companies. Apex has helped the Department evaluate multiple paths to compliance, including purchasing water from neighboring Haverhill. Ultimately, building an in-town treatment plant proved to be the most cost-effective and more reliable long-term solution, as well as keeping control of all aspects within Groveland.
The total cost of the project is estimated at $44.6 million. The Water and Sewer Department has secured a low-interest loan to be repaid over 30 years by water system users and is actively pursuing any available state and federal grant funding to further reduce the financial expense to ratepayers.