Fwd: Brookline Drinking Water Quality

[Mariah Nobrega]

Received from the commissioner of public works and sharing...

Thanks, Mariah
--sent from my telegraph, please forgive any errant dots or dashes

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Erin Gallentine <egall...@brooklinema.gov>
Date: Tue, May 25, 2021, 12:40 PM
Subject: Brookline Drinking Water Quality
To: Erin Gallentine <egall...@brooklinema.gov>
Cc: Frederick Russell <frus...@brooklinema.gov>

Dear Elected Officials/Town Meeting Members,

 

You might have seen recent news reports about per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (together abbreviated as PFAS). The Globe printed an article yesterday regarding several communities that have found elevated levels of PFAS in their drinking water.  PFAS are known as “forever chemicals’’ because they never fully break down in the environment, polyfluoroalkyl substances have long been used in everything from non-stick pans to water-repellant clothing. They have been linked to cancer, compromised immune systems, and a range of diseases.  Wayland, Natick and Wellesley are all communities cited in the article and looking to implement high-tech filtration systems or other measures to address the contaminant in their drinking water supply.

 

Brookline receives its water from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA).  MWRA water comes from the Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs and watersheds. MWRA and the Department of Conservation and Recreation regulate development and activities in the watershed to prevent pollution.  MWRA’s testing program regularly tests for over 120 different substances, at frequencies ranging from every 15 seconds, to hourly, daily, weekly, and, for substances that are less likely to be found or change over time, annually. Very few of the hundreds of substances that the MWRA is required to test for are found, due those well-protected supplies.  MWRA water meets all national and state drinking water standards.

 

MWRA tested for the six regulated PFAS as well as a dozen other PFAS compounds, using extremely sensitive testing methods, beginning in 2019, even before the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) set a standard of 20 parts per trillion on October 2, 2020 for the sum of six PFAS compounds (called PFAS6).  The sum of the six regulated PFAS compounds tested by the MWRA was zero.  Other non-regulated PFAS had trace amounts or below the minimum concentration able to be reported as a quantified value.

 

Brookline continues to have excellent water provided by the MWRA. Below is a link to the MWRA site specific to PFAS.

 

https://www.mwra.com/watertesting/pfas/pfastestsinfo.html

 

Fred Russell, Brookline’s Director of Water and Sewer, is in very regular contact with the MWRA regarding their services, drinking water quality and any new protocol or testing parameters implemented.

 

Sincerely,

Erin

 

 

Erin Gallentine

Commissioner of Public Works

Town of Brookline - DPW

333 Washington Street, Brookline, MA 02445   

617-730-2166