By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Lynnfield Center Water District ratepayers unanimously approved two warrant articles that will begin the process of addressing PFAS during the Special District Meeting on March 2.
Water Superintendent John Scenna told the 37 ratepayers in attendance that the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) implemented new drinking water regulations last October that regulate the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for the sum of six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances called PFAS6.
“PFAS are known as forever chemicals because once they are in the ground or in water, they don’t break down easy,” said Scenna. “The DEP required water systems to start testing for these compounds last October, and we started in September.”
Scenna said MassDEP’s new drinking water standard mandates that the minimum PFAS6 level be 20 parts per trillion (PPT).
“That is one drop of water in 20 Olympic-size swimming pools,” said Scenna. “What we discovered was that the PFAS levels were above the maximum level that DEP set forth in two out of our four water sources.”
After the initial samples collected revealed that Station 1’s PFAS6 levels were higher than MassDEP’s 20 PPT requirement last fall, Scenna said the LCWD shut Station 1 down. Station 1 is on Phillips Road.
Scenna said samples taken from Station 2, which is the Main Street well field, exceeded MassDEP’s 20 PPT requirement.
“While we shut off Station 1, we don’t have the ability to shut Station 2 down because it provides between 160 to 200 gallons of water per minute for the water system,” said Scenna. “Shutting that system down would impact our ability to maintain pressure and maintain fire prevention.”
Scenna noted that water samples revealed that Station 3, also on Phillips Road, and Station 4 on Glen Drive both have PFAS6 levels that are below 20 PPT.
In the wake of Station 2’s PFAS6 levels being higher than MassDEP’s regulations, Scenna said LCWD officials pledged during a meeting last December to create “short- and long-term plans to address it.” He said Article 5 involved transferring $587,050 from Retained Earnings to fund a short-term plan and begin laying the groundwork for a long-term solution.
“This will not impact the rates,” said Scenna. “We have been in compliance for the last two months because the tests came out okay. But the tests in September, October and November were above the MCL level. Rather than playing the what-if game, we are proposing a short-term treatment at the source on Main Street. We are working with Weston & Sampson to put in place an addition to our treatment facility there.”
Scenna said the short-term plan involves installing two chambers that would be used to treat PFAS6 to “non-detect levels.”
“This technology is in place in other parts of the commonwealth,” said Scenna.
If ratepayers approved Article 5, Scenna said the LCWD will immediately request a permit from MassDEP that will allow both chambers to be installed.
“That would bring PFAS to non-detect levels at Station 2,” said Scenna. “The pilot permit is for a two-year window. Devens is now on its fourth year of that permit. If it works and it shows it can work, these permits can be extended. It also gives the Board of Water Commissioners and the district the opportunity to step back and take a look at what we want to do for the long-term.”
Scenna said possible long-term solutions that will be studied by the district’s engineering firm, CDM Smith, include getting more water from the MWRA via Wakefield as part of the supplemental water project that LCWD ratepayers approved at the Annual Meeting last May. He said another possible long-term solution is treating PFAS6 at Station 4. In addition to approving the supplemental water project, ratepayers at last year’s Annual Meeting also approved building a greensand filter water treatment plant at the Glen Drive station. The new plant will treat iron and manganese, which has caused the discolored water issues impacting residents living near the North Reading line.
“These are very complicated questions that require analysis and require time,” said Scenna. “CDM Smith will be looking at the long-term sustainability for Station 2’s water source.”
Daventry Court resident Sarah Kelley asked how will the chambers treat PFAS6.
“They essentially take water from Station 2 and run it through two vessels that are big chambers that look like eggs,” said Scenna. “One is a carbon vessel that does the initial treatment for PFAS and iron and manganese particles. That water will then filter through a second vessel called an ionic resin chamber. Those chambers will filter out the PFAS and the water will go back into the system.”
Willowby Way resident Robert Look asked if home water filtration systems can treat PFAS6.
While Scenna said CDM Smith engineers reported last December that PFAS can be treated at water taps, he said the best way to treat PFAS is at the source.
In response to a question from Patrice Lane resident Pat Campbell, Scenna said the chambers are “proven technology.”
“What is temporary is the permit from DEP in the sense that it is a pilot program that will be in place for two years or more if it works,” said Scenna. “This has worked in Devens, Ayer and some Cape Cod communities. Our operators are going to learn how to operate the new infrastructure. We feel confident that we can address this for two years while we evaluate how to make the system sustainable moving forward.”
Orchard Lane resident Patricia Berlinghieri asked how often is the LCWD testing for PFAS.
“The DEP sets the testing scheduled based on our results,” said Scenna. “Station 2 is tested monthly and Station 3, which is the Phillips Road treatment plant, is tested quarterly because the levels are so low that DEP doesn’t believe it needs to be tested on a monthly basis. Glen Drive is also tested monthly. The DEP is requiring that because Station 4 is above 10 PPT, which is half the MCL.”
Skinner Lane resident Linda Limauro asked what are the MWRA’s PFAS6 levels.
“The MWRA is testing PFAS at non-detect levels,” said Scenna.
Campbell also asked which areas of the district get water from Station 2.
Scenna said Station 2 provides water to ratepayers who live in the Main Street and Lowell Street area.
After the discussion, ratepayers unanimously approved Article 5. Scenna noted that the Board of Water Commissioners will be discussing the short-term PFAS plan during a meeting on Monday, March 14.
Bottle water program OK’d
Ratepayers also approved Article 6, which will allocate $25,000 from Retained Earnings to fund a bottle water rebate program.
Scenna said the program is designed for “sensitive groups” of people such as women who are nursing or pregnant, infants and people with compromised immune systems. He said the program will reimburse ratepayers on a quarterly basis.
“If someone is in a sensitive group and lives in an area that is fully sourced from Station 2 or if someone can attest to the medical conditions outlined by the DEP, the district will reimburse them $55 per month for using bottle water in the household,” said Scenna.