WESTFORD — A proposed Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances private drinking water well testing program may now move forward.
The Select Board voted unanimously to approve the project on Jan. 9.
The Select Board previously approved $20,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds on June 6, 2023 for the project. Fifty households with private drinking wells are eligible for the program, based on location and availability.
Testing of irrigation wells and reimbursement of previous PFAS well testing are not eligible for the program.
According to Health Director Rae Dick, the Department will choose around 10 to 12 wells per quadrant. Approval will be determined based on the location of the applicant’s well and its proximity to other applicants. All submissions will be reviewed on a first come first serve basis.
“We want to be fair and get a good representative of if there is any PFAS contamination [across Westford],” Dick said in a Jan. 9 Select Board meeting.
Approved households and the Health Department will receive sample results.
Residents that participate can collect samples from the Health Department, which then should be delivered to the Nashoba Analytical Laboratory in Ayer.
Data will be shared with the Water Department and GIS Department, as well as the greater community to “encourage residents to test if there is a positive sample in their neighborhood,” as stated in according to a memo from Dick.
“I’m very excited about this project,” Select Board Chair Thomas Clay said. “We’ve been talking about it for a while, so I’m glad it’s coming to the forefront.”
Application forms can be found online or picked up at the Health Department.
