Press Release  Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards Nearly $900,000 to Improve Water Supply and Treat PFAS in Five Ipswich River Communities

BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today awarded $899,486 in grants to help five communities enhance their public water supplies, improve drinking water availability, and remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from drinking water. PFAS are persistent and harmful chemicals that can cause adverse health outcomes.

“Everyone deserves access to clean, safe drinking water,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We’re investing in communities across the Ipswich River Basin to remove harmful PFAS, strengthen local water systems and protect public health. These projects will help ensure families have reliable, safe water today and for generations to come.” 

The grant program, currently in its third year, is administered by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) and helps guide water management in the Ipswich River Basin to meet communities' long-term water supply needs and protect aquatic ecosystems. These grants support projects that will help maintain and improve access to clean and safe drinking water for communities in the Ipswich River Basin.  

“We’re making sure people within the Ipswich River Watershed have access to clean, safe drinking water,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “This funding will help communities remove PFAS, improve water quality, and ensure the Ipswich River is a strong resource for both residents and the environment.” 

“These grants help us address the unique drinking water challenges of the Ipswich River Basin,” said MassDEP Commissioner Bonnie Heiple. “We are proud to support our public water suppliers as they work to protect and preserve this valuable resource.” 

The following communities and water suppliers were awarded funds: 

Lynn Acoustic Leak Detection - $70,000 
Funding will implement a comprehensive water distribution leak detection program to find and fix hidden leaks, reduce water loss, and prioritize repairs in areas with the highest impact using advanced detection methods. The project will prioritize areas with the highest water loss and target repairs that provide immediate water savings.  

Peabody - Walsh Water Treatment Plant Pilot Test - $127,000 
Funding will support a pilot test to assess converting existing filter beds to granular activated carbon (GAC) to measure contaminant removal and estimate PFAS breakthrough, helping determine if GAC filters are a cost-effective long-term treatment strategy for PFAS removal. 

Ipswich - New Water Treatment Plant Design - $254,583 
Funding will advance the design of the new Ipswich Water Treatment Plant from 30% to completion, including final plans and specifications, an updated cost estimate, and permit submission to MassDEP. 

Hamilton and Wenham - PFAS and Infrastructure Work - $405,903 
Funding will support the design, permitting, and completion of a Full-Scale Demonstration Study using Purolite Resin to remove PFAS. The study will evaluate the feasibility of combining sources to share treated water; identify needed infrastructure upgrades; and supplement supplies to reduce groundwater withdrawals in the Ipswich Basin. 

For more details on the 2026 awards, please visit MassDEP’s Ipswich Water Supply and PFAS Grant webpage. 

Statements of Support: 

Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester): 
"Meeting recently reduced thresholds for PFAS content, and thus ensuring the safety of drinking water, is one of the most daunting financial challenges facing public water suppliers in our state, and for communities dependent on the Ipswich River that challenge comes in the context of the need to improve the sustainability of water supplies and the health of the river itself. These grants will make a significant difference for Ipswich, Hamilton, Wenham, and others who are working to develop effective and innovative solutions that address the threats posed by PFAS content in the water residents depend on.”

State Representative Kristin E. Kassner (D-Hamilton): 
"Across the Ipswich Watershed, long recognized as a highly stressed basin, water scarcity is a reality. Frequent droughts and emerging contaminants like PFAS have negatively impacted our water sources, leaving our towns without the water needed to support the population. These grants will provide the funding for water infrastructure investments required to address PFAS contamination and bring essential water supplies back online, crucial to the sustainability of our communities and the environment. I’m grateful to the Governor and the DEP for these grants and for recognizing the challenges we face across this region.”

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