News  Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $12.4 Million to Address PFAS and Other Emerging Contaminants in Drinking Water

BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced over $12 million in grants to 16 public water suppliers to expand access to clean drinking water for Massachusetts residents.  

“Every family in Massachusetts deserves access to clean, safe drinking water, and we're committed to making sure communities have the resources they need to provide it,” said Governor Maura Healey. “These grants will support critical infrastructure improvements, protect public health and ensure more Massachusetts residents have access to safe, reliable drinking water.” 

“We know that addressing water contamination can be a major financial challenge for cities and towns, especially our smaller communities,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “These grants will give local water suppliers the resources they need to upgrade their systems, address harmful contaminants and protect public health without placing additional burdens on local budgets. We're proud to partner with communities across Massachusetts to make sure residents have access to the clean drinking water they deserve.” 

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) selects projects to help treat and remove contaminants such as PFAS and manganese from drinking water. The grants are funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and directed by MassDEP to support water systems in small and disadvantaged communities. 

“Through these grants and initiatives like the Mass Ready Act, we’re helping communities address emerging water quality challenges,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “Testing PFAS and manganese gives communities the information they need to protect drinking water and prioritize necessary improvements.” 

“We’re directing this critical funding to where it’s needed most: in communities grappling with water contaminants but limited by financial constraints,” said MassDEP Commissioner Bonnie Heiple. “These investments will improve water quality, protect public health, and support economic growth.” 

PFAS and manganese are among the list of contaminants that are increasingly impacting water resources. PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals widely used in common consumer products, industrial processes, and in certain firefighting foams. Exposure to sufficiently elevated levels of PFAS compounds can cause a variety of health effects, including developmental effects in infants, impacts to certain organ functions and the immune system, and elevated cancer risk. Manganese is a naturally occurring element that's present in water, soil, air, and food. While a small amount of manganese is necessary for good health, long-term exposure to high levels in drinking water may adversely affect the nervous system. 

The following public water system projects received grant awards: 

Barnstable Fire District Water Department, Barnstable - $1,000,000 
Construction of a treatment facility to remove manganese and PFAS from two water system wells. 

Whitney Estates Condominiums, Berlin - $375,000 
Planning, design and construction of a new water treatment system to remove PFAS. 

Blackstone Water Department, Blackstone - $980,000  
Research and pilot testing for PFAS removal from groundwater wells, along with planning, design and permitting for a treatment system at the existing water treatment plant. 

Bridgewater Water Department, Bridgewater - $2,000,000 
Planning, design and construction of a new water treatment system to remove manganese and PFAS from two wells. 

Meadow Woods Estates Homeowners Assn, Inc, Carver - $1,000,000 
Research and pilot testing, and planning, design and construction of a new water treatment plant to remove PFAS and manganese from source water. 

East Chelmsford Water District, Chelmsford - $100,000 
Pilot study to evaluate PFAS removal technologies, alternatives analysis to compare those results to purchasing water from a neighboring PWS, and a preliminary design layout for a PFAS water treatment plant. 

Dudley Water Department, Dudley - $1,000,000 
Sampling, design, permitting, and construction of a municipal water system extension to connect properties with PFAS and/or 1,4-Dioxane contaminated private wells. 

Town of Eastham, Eastham - $2,000,000 
Research and testing for PFAS, along with planning, design, permitting and installation of water lines for the town of Eastham to connect dozens of properties served by private wells and two public water systems (Sheraton Four Points and Arnold’s Restaurant) to Eastham’s municipal water supply. 

Freetown Elementary School, Freetown - $25,000 
Feasibility study to evaluate PFAS removal options for the planning and design of a PFAS treatment system. 

Middleborough Water Department, Middleborough - $1,725,000 
Sampling and an extension of the Middleborough municipal water supply to address PFAS and manganese contamination at two existing public water systems (Jakes Path and SEMASS) and residences currently relying on private well water. 

Northbridge Water Division - $1,000,000 
Extension of municipal water supply lines to residences currently relying on PFAS-contaminated private wells, including both planning and design and construction. 

Somerset Water Department, Somerset - $105,000 
A non-routine 12-month sampling program for manganese, evaluation of results, and preliminary planning and design to assess manganese treatment at the public water system. 

Spencer Water Department, Spencer - $380,000 
Pilot testing and feasibility study for manganese removal, to begin planning and design for construction of a new water treatment facility. 

Pilot Grove Apartments, Stow - $225,000 
Pilot testing and feasibility study to evaluate PFAS removal process options, along with the planning, design and installation of a new water treatment facility.  

Pilot Grove Apartments II, Stow - $225,000 
Pilot testing and feasibility study to evaluate PFAS removal process options, along with the planning, design and installation of a new water treatment facility.  

Town of Westport, Westport - $300,000  
Planning, design and installation of a water line from the municipal water system to a municipal fire station that has a PFAS and manganese contaminated source well. 

Visit the Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities Grant page for more information about the grant program. To learn more about the communities that have been awarded these grants, visit MassDEP’s EC-SDC Grants Map.