In doing our own reporting on the March 6 Boston Globe story stating that PFAS had been found in Harvard wells, we were struck by the imprecision of the Globe story and the lack of clear standards for well owners. The Globe story stated that PFAS were present in the “municipal water supplies” of seven towns, including Harvard, but in Harvard’s case, that statement was false. The town’s wells had never been tested and when they were, no PFAS were detected. PFAS were detected in six northwest Harvard wells, but their owners already knew of the findings.
More concerning was our discovery that no federal or Massachusetts standards have been set for PFAS in drinking water. According to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), most research on their health effects has been based on studies of animals, but it shows that these organic compounds are highly toxic. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and MassDEP recommend PFAS concentrations be kept below 70 parts per trillion (ppt), but these are “guidelines” only and the Globe has reported that the two agencies are considering a much lower number that would make the current limit seem dangerously high. In a statement released two weeks ago, Harvard’s BOH said that owners of private wells in northwest Harvard “could” test their water for PFAS, but was unable to offer more specific guidance. If a homeowner were to pay $200 to $300 to test for PFAS in a private well and found levels of, say, 40 ppt, should that be cause for alarm?
Such questions can be answered only by federal and state agencies and by institutions staffed and equipped to research them. Such studies take time. Given the risks, the time to start is now.
We urge our congressional and state representatives to lobby for the dollars and programs necessary to more precisely determine the risks of PFAS in drinking water. And we urge the EPA and MassDEP to replace their guidelines with clear standards that will adequately protect the health of citizens and their children.
