Hanover Water Department Has Levels of PFAS6 Above the Drinking Water Standard 11/3/23

What Happened?

Our water system violated a drinking water standard for the sum of six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances known as PFAS6, at the Pond Street Treatment Plant and we are taking the following corrective actions: We are working towards a treatment solution at the Pond Street Water Treatment Plant (WTP). We continue to offer water that complies with the drinking water standard free of charge through outside spigots at the Broadway WTP, located at 507 Broadway. Water from these spigots is currently available from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, 7 days a week.

What Does This Mean?

This is not an emergency. If it had been, you would have been notified within 24 hours.  Although this is not an emergency, as our customer, you have a right to know what happened, what you should do, and what we did and are doing to correct this situation.

On October 2, 2020, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) promulgated a new drinking water regulation and maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 20 nanograms per liter (ng/L) for PFAS6. See our latest results in the table below.

The results from the Pond Street Treatment Plant are above the MCL for PFAS6 for Quarter 3 of 2023. Even though we have been notifying you of our results since we began collecting samples, to comply with the new drinking water regulation, we must provide you with this Public Notice. The water from Pond Street WTP is one of three entrance points that supply drinking water to our distribution system. The other locations, the Beal and Broadway WTPs have PFAS6 levels below the drinking water standard.

Some people who drink water containing PFAS6 in excess of the drinking water standard or Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) may experience certain adverse effects. These could include effects on the liver, blood, immune system, thyroid, and fetal development. These PFAS6 may also elevate the risk of certain cancers. For more information, see the links listed below.

What is PFAS6?

PFAS6 includes perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) and perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA). PFAS are man-made chemicals that have been used in the manufacturing of certain fire-fighting foams, moisture and stain resistant products, and other industrial processes. For more information see the weblinks listed below.

What Do I Need To Do?

• Consumers in a sensitive subgroup (pregnant or nursing women, infants, and people diagnosed by their healthcare provider to have ​a compromised immune system), are advised not to consume, drink, or cook with water when the level of PFAS6 is above 20 ng/L.
• Consumers in sensitive subgroups are advised to use bottled water or water from the self-serve bottle filling station for drinking and cooking of foods that absorb water (like pasta).
• For infant formula, use bottled water/water from the self-serve bottle filling station or use formula that does not require adding water.
• For older children and adults not in a sensitive subgroup, the 20 ng/L value is applicable to a lifetime of consuming the water.  For these groups, shorter-duration exposures present less risk.  However, if you are concerned about your exposure while steps are being taken to assess and lower the PFAS concentration in the drinking water, use of bottled water will reduce your exposure.
• Bottled water should only be used if it has been tested. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health requires companies licensed to sell or distribute bottled water or carbonated non-alcoholic beverages to test for PFAS. See Mass.gov: Water Quality Standards for Bottled Water in Massachusetts
• Home water treatment systems that are certified to remove PFAS by an independent testing group, such as NSF, UL, or Water Quality Association, may be used to treat the water. These may include point-of-entry systems, which treat all the water entering a home, or point-of-use devices, which treat water where it is used, such as at a faucet. For information on selecting home treatment devices that are effective in treating the water for PFAS6, review the MassDEP factsheet for consumers referenced below.
• In most situations, the water can be safely used for washing foods, brushing teeth, bathing, and showering.
• Boiling the water will not destroy PF AS6 and will somewhat increase its level due to the evaporation of some of the water.
• If you have specific health concerns regarding exposure, you should see the Centers for Disease Control's website and consult a health professional, such as your doctor.

For more information, see the MassDEP Fact Sheet and links listed below.

What is Being Done?

The Hanover Water Department has taken the following proactive measures:

• We will continue to sample our water sources for PFAS.
• We are in discussion with several engineering firms seeking design proposals to upgrade all three of our water treatment plants in order to meet current Massachusetts PFAS regulations and the pending EPA PFAS regulations, which we expect to go into effect in 2024. We will be awarding a design contract in early 2024 and will be submitting an article at the spring 2024 Town Meeting to fund this effort
• We will continue to provide low PFAS Water at the Broadway WTP, located at 507 Broadway, where PFAS6 levels are under the state regulatory limit of 20 ng/L. Water from these spigots is available free of charge during posted hours (currently 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, 7 days a week).

Where Can I Get More Information?

For more information, please contact Neal Merritt at 781-826-3189 or at merritt@hanoverdpw.org, Hanover DPW, 40 Pond Street, Hanover, MA 02339.

Resources

• MassDEP Fact Sheet - Questions and Answers for Consumers
• CDC ATSDR Information on PFAS for Consumers and Health Professionals
• Massachusetts Department of Public Health information about PFAS in Drinking Water
• Environmental Protection Agency

This public notification material is being sent to you by: Hanover Water Department, PWS ID#: 4122000, Date distributed: 11/3/2023

We will provide public notice updates every three months until the situation has been resolved.

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

Additional Information

• Hanover DPW PFAS Overview