'Things are looking better': Here's what Raynham's doing to tackle PFAS in water

RAYNHAM — In early August, more than half of the town's residents were notified to take extra precautions with their drinking water after the Raynham Center Water District identified "elevated levels of PFAS chemicals found in testing results" in one of its three treatment plants.

PFAS, also known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or "forever chemicals," are man-made contaminants that are toxic, don’t degrade, spread fast and easily into water, soil, food and air and have been linked to a number of cancers, birth defects and conditions that weaken the immune system, according to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.

Selectman Joe Pacheco said since the announcement was made, "we've thoroughly discussed and communicated our plans for the town's water supply."

Roughly 60% of residents are affected and were notified about the PFAS, specifically those who receive their water from the John P. Lynn Treatment Plant, which had higher test levels than the other two treatment plants in the district.

Between the time residents were told in August to when the water district came up with a treatment plan in mid-September, folks took to Facebook.

"Now Raynham has bad water," one resident said. Then, hundreds of comments poured in:

"How will I bathe myself...my baby?"

"What water should I give my dog?"

"Does anyone know someone who can install a home filtration system in my fridge?"

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Logesh Chokkalingam, 40, a seven-year resident of Raynham, said this is a very concerning issue taking over the town.

"I have to think about my family — my two daughters," he said.

"All the town told us to do was buy water bottles to replace drinking the water from our taps."

Because PFAS isn't a bacteria that can be killed by boiling water, the water district's notice advised residents to buy bottled water to drink and/or cook with.

Still, the concern remains, despite what the board has discussed in meetings since the announcement of the higher levels of PFAS.

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Chokkalingam, aside from his day job where he is a medical device engineer, is passionate about the environment and climate change.

He calculated most households would "probably dispose of about 60 to 80 bottles of water" per week.

"That is just not environmentally friendly," he said. "Not to mention the rising costs of water in the store, and eventually our bills per month."

Just last month alone, buying water bottles tacked on an additional roughly $200 on Chokkalingam's family expenses, he said.

At the time, Chokkalingam also had a concern about whether the town was going to invest in new filters, based on an Aug. 9 board meeting where he'd heard Selectman Joe Pacheco and Jon Chase, the superintendent of the water district, discuss what it would take to fund new filters.

Chase told Selectmen it "would cost millions of dollars to purchase and install active carbon filtration systems. These are purchases that will eventually be passed down to the ratepayers through higher water bills."

However, nearly a month later, at a more recent board meeting on Sept. 13, Chase told the board the water district has already started working with the state to provide carbon filters to aid the treatment of the water.

"Currently we're in a state-funded pilot program, which uses activated carbon to remove chemicals, like PFAS, in the water. The study will help us determine how many new water filters we'll need to replace in the town," he said.

Fellow Raynham resident, Mary Ann Ogo, first heard the news about the "bad water" on the radio in early August.

Ogo, 71, who lives with her husband, 75, said she is immunocompromised and is concerned about the water in her part of Raynham.

Despite the notice's statement about how in "most situations, the water can be safely used for washing foods, brushing teeth, bathing, and showering," Ogo said she and her husband feel wary about doing so.

Chase talked about a solution for that, too, at the September meeting.

"We opened up a water pick-up spot with clean, PFAS-free water at the North Main Street plant, which was not affected by the chemical for those who still feel uncomfortable to drink or use the water," he said at the board meeting.

As for the levels of PFAS in the water?

"Things are looking better," Chase said. "The numbers are returning back to normal."

Raynham is just one of many municipalities in Massachusetts where PFAS was found in the water; however the responses from each town and city have varied.

In 2021, the town of Easton filed a lawsuit against chemical companies whose products containing PFAS allegedly caused contamination of their drinking water. In Wayland, city officials offered a remediation program for residents who were notified about PFAS contaminating their water, including a free bottled water delivery service. Late last month, when Cambridge officials notified residents their water was contaminated with "forever chemicals," they also said the city would be making the switch from getting water from the Stony Brook Reserve to the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA), after a supply chain delay in getting a filter replacement, our sister news outlet, WCVB, reported.

Staff writer Namu Sampath can be reached at nsampath@enterprisenews.com, or you can follow her on Twitter @namusampath. Thank you, subscribers. You make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Brockton Enterprise.

This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Raynham PFAS: Town addresses drinking water problem