Press Release: 4/29/2025
Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards Nearly $1 Million to Five Ipswich River Communities to Improve Water Supply and Treat PFAS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
4/28/2025
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Fabienne Alexis, Public Affairs Assistant Director / MassDEP
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Call Fabienne Alexis, Public Affairs Assistant Director / MassDEP at 857-274-7522
Online
Email Fabienne Alexis, Public Affairs Assistant Director / MassDEP at fabienne.alexis@mass.gov
BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration awarded $950,000 in grants today to help five communities enhance their public water supplies, improve water availability, and remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from drinking water. PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” are persistent and harmful chemicals that can cause adverse health outcomes. The grants, administered by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), will help maintain and improve access to clean and safe drinking water for communities in the Ipswich River Basin.
“The Ipswich River Watershed serves as the drinking water source to more than 350,000 people in nearby communities,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “The Healey-Driscoll Administration is committed to supporting our public water suppliers and protecting this resource.”
“This funding will provide communities with the tools they need to design and construct infrastructure to preserve current water supplies, build interconnections to share neighboring supplies, and address PFAS contamination.” said MassDEP Commissioner Bonnie Heiple. “The Ipswich River Basin has unique drinking water challenges and we are committed to supporting communities in addressing harmful PFAS in our drinking water.”
This is the second year for this grant program, which aims to guide water management in the Ipswich River Basin for both the long-term water supply needs of communities and the protection of the aquatic ecosystems.
The following communities and water suppliers were awarded funds this year:
Modeling and Connection to Salem Beverly Water Supply Board (SBWSB)
Hamilton and Wenham - $279,775
This project consists of conducting computer simulations to identify possible limitations of wheeling a portion of SBWSB’s water supply through Wenham and up to the new connection with Hamilton, the bidding process for a new interim water supply connection between Hamilton and Wenham to obtain supply from the SBWSB, conducting a pilot study on recommended treatment strategies for removing PFAS from Wenham’s two groundwater sources, and recommending the most favorable treatment strategy for Hamilton’s School Street well.
MWRA Connection
Town of Wilmington - $154,208
This project consists of completing the planning and design of a booster water pump station to increase the capacity of the Town’s MWRA connection so that Wilmington can supply MWRA water up to their maximum daily demand.
PFAS Treatment
Town of Ipswich - $370,000
This project consists of providing 30 percent design documents for a new Ipswich Water Treatment Plant (WTP), consisting of final design criteria, preliminary drawings, an outline of technical specifications and a preliminary opinion of probable construction costs. The new WTP is being designed with capacity to treat additional sources of varying water quality and quantity in the Parker River Basin, which will improve the opportunity to reduce the Town of Ipswich’s reliance on its Ipswich River Basin sources. This project also funds monitoring associated with Ipswich’s proposed Lynch wells.
Construction of an Alternative Source Interconnection Lynnfield Center Water District (LCWD) - $138,160
This project consists of reimbursement of funds spent on completing the design, the bidding and award of a contract to connect the Wakefield and LCWD systems, and the funding to assist LCWD in applying for and meeting the requirements of MWRA membership, including all necessary certificates and permits.
For more details on the grant projects for 2025, please visit Ipswich Water Supply and PFAS Grantonline.
Statements of Support:
Senator Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn)
"Making sure that everyone in the Commonwealth has access to clean, safe drinking water is incredibly important. This funding will support the critical efforts that the Lynnfield Center Water District has taken to ensure their residents are able to use water that is free from harmful PFAS."
Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester)
"The availability and quality of water are essential to our lives, and these grants fund tools to ensure that we have safe water supplies now and for the future."
House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading)
"This grant award is critical to helping the Lynnfield Center Water District continue to maintain a safe and reliable water supply for its customers. The funding from this grant will help facilitate the Lynnfield Center Water District’s ongoing efforts to provide its customers with a supplemental water source by joining the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority and establishing an interconnection with Wakefield’s water system to help address peak demand needs."
State Representative Kristin E. Kassner (D-Hamilton)
"The Ipswich River is one of the most threatened in the country. The Northshore Water Resiliency Task Force has been hard at work to balance water needs and the health of the river ecosystem. These grants will be transformative toward regional water resiliency, water quality and treatment within the Ipswich River basin. I’m grateful to MassDEP for their commitment to addressing the water quality challenges faced by the residents of our region."
MassDEP's mission is to protect and enhance the Commonwealth’s natural resources – air, water and land – to provide for the health, safety and welfare of all people, and to ensure a clean and safe environment for future generations. In carrying out this mission, MassDEP commits to address and advance environmental justice and equity for all people of the Commonwealth; to provide meaningful, inclusive opportunities for people to participate in agency decisions that affect their lives; and to ensure a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.