Town of Hanover Drinking Water Update 2/9/22
Overview
Our water system continues to violate a newly promulgated drinking water standard for the sum of six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances called PFAS6 and 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 am to 8 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 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.
PFAS6 Results for Pond Street Water Treatment Plant | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterly Compliance Period | Monitoring Period | Sample Collection Date | PFAS6 Result (ng/L) | Quarterly Average (ng/L) | PFAS6 MCL (ng/L) |
Quarter 2, 2021 | Month 1 | 4/26/2021 | 16.3 | 22 | 20 |
Month 2 | 5/18/2021 | 20.2 | |||
Month 3 | 6/23/2021 | 30.3 | |||
Quarter 3, 2021 | Month 1 | 7/20/2021 | 35.6 | 35 | 20 |
Month 2 | 8/17/2021 | 36.1 | |||
Month 3 | 9/17/2021 | 32.2 | |||
Quarter 4, 2021 | Month 1 | 10/25/2021 | 31.3 | 23 | 20 |
Month 2 | 11/30/2021 | 20.2 | |||
Month 3 | 12/21/2021 | 16.8 | |||
Our results are above the MCL for PFAS6. 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 supplies drinking water to our distribution system. The other locations, the Beal and Broadway WTPs have PFAS6 levels below the drinking water standard, ranging from 5.4 to 11.9 ng/L.
Some people who drink water containing these PFAS in excess of the MCL may experience certain adverse effects. These could include effects on the liver, blood, immune system, thyroid, and fetal development. These PFAS may also elevate the risk of certain cancers. For more information on PFAS6 see the factsheet and weblinks 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 MassDEP Fact Sheet and weblinks listed below.
What do I need to do?
- Consumers in a sensitive subgroup (pregnant or nursing women, infants, and people diagnosed by their health care 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 for drinking and cooking foods that absorb water (like pasta).
- For infant formula, use bottled water or use a 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, the 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 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 PFAS6 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 link below and consult a health professional, such as your doctor.
For more information see the MassDEP Fact Sheet and weblinks 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 investigating treatment options for possible future use of Granular Activated Carbon (GAC).
- 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 am to 8 pm, 7 days a week).
- When additional information becomes available, this public notice will be updated.
Additional Information
For more information, please contact Neal Merritt by phone at 781-826-3189, email merritt@hanoverdpw.org, or send mail to Hanover DPW, 40 Pond Street, Hanover, MA 02339.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
 hanover_pfas_4th_qtr_pn_2-4-22.pdf | 222.27 KB |