The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) recently issued a new drinking water regulation that limits the sum of six “PFAS” (PFAS6) compounds to a specific Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 20 parts per trillion (PPT). Subsequent testing showed that the Town of Hopkinton’s water supply exceeded the MCL during the testing period.
MassDEP recommends that pregnant women, nursing mothers, infants under one (1) year of age, and people diagnosed by their health care provider to have a compromised immune system not consume, drink, or cook with water when the level of PFAS6 is above the MCL. Those individuals are advised to use alternative sources of water such as bottled water tested for PFAS6 or in-home filtration systems certified by independent testing groups to remove PFAS6.
The Town is therefore offering a rebate program, effective December 7, 2021, for households that have one or more members who should use an alternative water source as described above. The rebate will be in the form of a water bill credit of up to $20.00 per household per month, provided that the household’s water bill is at least $20.00 per month, to offset the cost of purchasing bottled water. This rebate program is valid until MassDEP and the Town determine that the use of bottled water is no longer necessary. This rebate program is not intended to operate as a guarantee regarding any exposure to PFAS and does not imply that it limits exposure to PFAS from other sources. Information regarding bottled water and filtration can be found on our website here:
https://www.hopkintonma.gov/departments/department_of_public_works/pfas.php.
The application for the bottled water rebate program can be found on the DPW’s website and by using the address below:
https://forms.gle/ccU26qGgaBRcneD97
Thank you.
Sincerely,
John K. Westerling, MPA
Director of Public Works, Hopkinton DPW