Press Release: 7/9/2025
Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $14.7 Million to Address PFAS and Other Emerging Contaminants
For immediate release:
7/08/2025
- Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced more than $14.7 million in grants have been awarded to 21 public water suppliers to promote consistent access to clean drinking water for Massachusetts residents. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) selected these projects to help treat and remove contaminants such as PFAS and manganese.
"Our communities need help taking on emerging contaminants like PFAS and manganese," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. "We have a responsibility to work together so that every water supplier has the support they need in navigating these challenges, and that water rates are kept affordable as they do. We are doubling down on this work further in our Mass Ready Act to keep our drinking water safe and clean."
"Massachusetts has some of the oldest infrastructure in the nation and ensuring everyone has access to safe and healthy drinking water requires significant upgrades," said MassDEP Commissioner Bonnie Heiple. "We’re directing these dollars to where they’re needed most: in small and disadvantaged communities that otherwise may not be able to complete these critical upgrades. Combined with Governor Healey’s commitment to remediate PFAS in the Mass Ready Act, Massachusetts is working nonstop to ensure our public water suppliers have the support they need for these critical water projects."
Last month, Governor Healey introduced the Mass Ready Act, a historic bill that proposes nearly $3 billion in bond authorizations to strengthen infrastructure and protect Massachusetts communities against increasing extreme weather events. The Mass Ready Act will invest $505 million to remediate PFAS and support clean water infrastructure.
This funding is provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to assist small and disadvantaged communities in improving their drinking water through projects and activities that address emerging contaminants that are registered on EPA’s Contaminant Candidate Lists.
PFAS and manganese are among the list of contaminants that are increasingly impacting water resources. PFAS are a group of harmful man-made chemicals widely used in common consumer products, industrial processes, and in certain firefighting foams. Exposure to sufficiently elevated levels of PFAS compounds may cause a variety of health effects, including developmental effects in infants, impacts to certain organ functions and the immune system, and an 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 have adverse impacts to the nervous system.
The EPA allotted Massachusetts $38,204,000 in fiscal years 2022 and 2023 and $19,249,000 in 2024 from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities grant program.
The second round of projects selected by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and confirmed by EPA are awarded to the following public water systems:
Brook Village Condominium, Boxborough - $1,534,000
Codman Hill Condominium, Boxborough - $930,000
Harvard Ridge Condominium, Boxborough - $1,462,000
These public water systems are using these funds on a consolidation project with the Littleton Electric Light and Water Department due to PFAS contamination.
Centerville Osterville Marstons Mills Water Department, Osterville - $1,000,000
The public water system will use these funds for the construction and installation of treatment facilities to remove PFAS from several water system wells.
Curtis Hill Condominium, Tyngsborough - $51,976.93
The small community public water system is using the funds to install a PFAS treatment system.
Dartmouth Water Division - $100,000
Dartmouth plans to utilize these funds for the planning and design phases for a PFAS treatment system, including non-routine PFAS sampling for evaluation of contamination and preparation of a report summarizing findings.
Aquarion Water Company, Dover - $850,000
The public water system intends to use these funds on the installation of PFAS treatment to an existing well and the design and construction of an interconnection with the Dedham-Westwood Water District.
Old Farm Road Water Trust, Dover - $350,000
The public water system will use these funds on the construction of an interconnection between Old Farm Road Water Trust and the Aquarion Water Company’s existing water main in Dover, Massachusetts.
Town of Dudley, Dudley - $600,000
The town intends to use the funds to design and permit an extension of the municipal water system to connect private wells that have been contaminated with PFAS in the Eagle Drive/Fairview Avenue area of Dudley. In addition to the engineering design, the Project includes coordination with the homeowners, permitting, and SRF construction application.
Scantic Valley Water District, Hampden - $1,000,000
The public water system will use the funds on a water main extension project and connections that will expand the existing public water system to supply clean drinking water to residences impacted by PFAS. The project will also include the required replacement of the existing water pumping facility and increase the water storage capacity.
Leicester Water Supply District, Leicester - $1,000,000
The Leicester Water Supply District will use the funds on planning an interconnection to the Worcester Water Supply to address PFAS. The project would supply water via the Leicester-Worcester Interconnection, which is currently under construction. This would replace the capacity lost by taking Rawson Well 5 offline.
Millville Elementary School, Millville - $1,000,000
The public water system will use these funds for pilot testing and design of PFAS treatment and the construction of a replacement well.
Montague Center Water District, Montague - $100,000
The public water system will utilize these funds on a pilot and feasibility study to address PFAS contamination in the community’s well.
Onset Fire District Water Department, Onset - $100,000
The public water system will utilize these funds on a pilot and feasibility study for PFAS, iron, and manganese removal.
Palmer Water District #1, Palmer - $100,000
The public water supplier will use the funds for a pilot study and feasibility study on removing manganese from the source water with principal engineering oversight.
Sherborn Town Offices, Sherborn - $100,000
The public water system is using these funds on the preliminary design and installation of a PFAS treatment system.
Woodhaven Elderly Housing Trust, Sherborn - $100,000
The public water system is connecting another public water system, Leland Farms, and implementing water treatment improvements to address PFAS and other contaminants.
Stones Throw Condominium, Truro - $54,445.34
The public water system will use these funds on testing, engineering, permitting, and installation associated with PFAS treatment at the system’s well house.
Tyngsborough Water Department, Tyngsborough - $45,000
The Tyngsborough Water Department is using these funds for an interconnection project to the municipal water supply with the Plaza at Pondview Place, a small non-transient non-community (NTNC) public water system.
Uxbridge DPW Water Division, Uxbridge - $1,200,000
The town’s public water system will use the funds to design and construct a new water treatment plant for manganese and PFAS treatment.
West Bridgewater Water Department, West Bridgewater - $3,100,000
The town’s public water system will use these funds on planning and design, and construction of two treatment facilities to address PFAS and manganese.
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 received these grants, visit MassDEP’s EC-SDC Grants Map.