Dear Wayland Post Readers –
In October 2020, Massachusetts reduced allowable PFAS levels in drinking water to 20 parts per trillion (ppt). Wayland met this limit with a temporary filtration system at the Happy Hollow wellfield, which reduced PFAS to an undetectable level. This water, mixed with water from the other town wells, allowed Wayland to comply with the 2020 regulation.
In early 2029, Federal regulations will require the PFAS limit in drinking water to be at or less than 4 ppt. The Town’s current water system cannot achieve this level and new permanent Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) treatment facilities would need to be constructed at each wellsite. Unfortunately, the Happy Hollow well site is the only site that can physically and economically support such a treatment facility but cannot supply sufficient water to meet Wayland’s needs.
After four years of research and discussion, the Board of Public Works recommends purchasing about 15% of the town’s annual water requirements from Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA). The combination, or dual source, of town water supplemented by MWRA water offers a cost-effective solution to meeting the 2029 water quality standards. In addition, the dual source system provides a critical redundancy for the town’s water supply in case the Happy Hollow treatment system needs to shut down or reduce the water production because of needed repairs. Reliable drinking water is a long-term investment important for all Wayland residents.
Implementation of the dual source approach requires approval of $1.2 million for design work at the 2025 Annual Town Meeting in April. Without this approval we will miss important MWRA deadlines, including the filing required to qualify for the seven million dollar connection fee waiver for Wayland to join the MWRA.
Please vote YES for Article 10 to fund the design work at Wayland’s 2025 Annual Town Meeting.
George Uveges
Vice Chair Board of Public Works
