Massachusetts Establishes PFAS Drinking Water Standards and Awards Water Utility Grants

On September 24, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) announced that it established PFAS drinking water standards and will provide grant awards for water systems to address PFAS contamination. The new PFAS drinking water standards establish a limit of 20 parts per trillion (ppt) for the sum of six PFAS (PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, PFHpA, and PFDA) and will require regular testing for the compounds starting January 2021 for the largest water systems serving populations of 50,000 or more. The state is also providing more than $1.9 million in grants to ten water systems for planning, studies, pump tests, and engineering and design work to remove PFAS contamination. In addition, the state is reimbursing communities that have spent funds for costs already expended while remediating PFAS contamination. For more information, view the press release and visit the MassDEP website.