Town of Wayland Provides Update on Treatment System to Address Elevated Levels of PFAS
WAYLAND — Wayland Department of Public Works Director Thomas Holder wishes to update the community about the recently-installed treatment system to address elevated levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the water supply.
The resin-based PFAS treatment system, which the Town has been working to implement since Spring 2021 with guidance and support from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), became active on June 6.
The Happy Hollow Wellfield, which has shown PFAS levels above the regulated amount, now shows undetectable PFAS levels due to the treatment system.
“The Town of Wayland has been working aggressively and continuously since February 2021 to develop and implement the most effective and efficient means possible of addressing elevated levels of PFAS,” Holder said. “We are confident that this new resin-based mitigation system is the best course of action at this time.”
MassDEP recognizes that the Town has demonstrated its drinking water now meets regulated PFAS levels, but it is unable to issue a Return to Compliance Notice at this time due to the treatment system’s current status as a pilot operation.
Due to the costs associated with installing and operating this treatment system, the Board of Public Works voted to include an itemized PFAS surcharge on all water bills, to make residents aware of the cost of the mitigation.
Additionally, one of the Town provisions resulting from last year’s PFAS Notice of Non-Compliance was to provide alternative water sources to customers within the MassDEP-defined PFAS6 sensitive sub-group.
Now that the Town has demonstrated undetectable levels of PFAS at the Happy Hollow Wellfield, the provision of alternative water to Town and private facilities and the Rebate Program have been discontinued.
Residents may contact the Department of Public Works at 508-358-3672 with any questions relative to this important drinking water matter.
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