Amid concerns from residents about levels of forever chemicals in Hallowell drinking water, the Hallowell Water District is working toward long-term solutions.
By the end of 2027, the district hopes to have constructed a $10 million facility to eliminate detectable forever chemicals, or PFAS, in the city's drinking water. PFAS exposure at even small levels has been linked to health issues, including some kinds of cancer and developmental delays in children.
In April, the EPA set the first-ever nationwide standard for regulating PFAS in public drinking water supply. Before 2029, drinking water systems are required to contain fewer than 4 parts per trillion of each of the two of the most common types of PFAS.
For each of the main kinds of newly regulated PFAS chemicals, PFOA and PFOS, Hallowell's drinking water contains about 7 parts per trillion, nearly double the EPA's 2029 standard. During the Hallowell Water District's most recent aquifer test in 2023, overall PFAS levels were at 14.4 parts per trillion, and have been as high as 18.8 parts per trillion since the district started requiring testing in 2022.
Ideally, the EPA said in an April news release, PFAS should be eliminated from the environment entirely, but the 4 parts per trillion level is the lowest possible standard that is feasible for effective implementation.
"This (regulation) reflects the latest science showing that there is no level of exposure to these contaminants without risk of health impacts, including certain cancers," the news release said.
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While the state reviews the EPA's new regulations, its 20 parts per trillion regulation will remain in place. The state has said it will adopt standards at least as stringent at the EPA's 4 parts per trillion regulation.
The EPA estimated 6%-10% of the country's approximately 66,000 public drinking water systems will be required to lower PFAS levels to come into compliance with new regulations. The Hallowell Water District is part of that group.
Hallowell obtains its public drinking water from two wells into an aquifer in Chelsea. The aquifer is partially replenished by the Kennebec River, which contains levels of PFAS up to 25 parts per trillion, according to Zach Lovely, the superintendent of the Hallowell Water District.
While the natural filtration of water into the aquifer generally catches other contaminants, it is only about 50% effective in catching PFAS from the Kennebec River, Hallowell Water District Superintendent Zachary Lovely said.
Lovely, also the superintendent of the Gardiner Water District, said Gardiner's drinking water does not rely as heavily on the Kennebec River and has levels of PFAS well below the EPA's new standards.
He said the Hallowell Water District has already raised $8.2 million in grants for an approximately $10 million PFAS filtration facility. The district hopes to complete construction on the facility by the end of 2027 -- two years ahead of the deadline for compliance with the EPA's regulations.
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After several months of searching for an engineering firm beginning last fall, the district hired engineering firm Wright-Pierce in May to design and construct the facility, which Lovely said will bring PFAS in Hallowell's drinking water to non-detectable levels.
"We had a bunch of engineering firms reach back out to us, asking questions, but a lot of them didn't have the resources or the manpower to be able to take on Hallowell's PFAS plant," Lovely said. "We ended up getting one (proposal), which was from Wright-Pierce, which has a lot of experience through different water districts."
Wright-Pierce has constructed several PFAS-removal facilities across New England, and the firm is currently overseeing construction of a PFAS treatment facility in Acton, Massachusetts.
The Water District would pay for costs not covered by grants or other fundraising through customers' rates.
The final PFAS filtration facility will need to contend with iron and manganese in Hallowell's water, which can cause the ion exchange system commonly used in PFAS filtration to degrade more quickly. The facility will need a filtration step before the ion exchange, adding to the cost and engineering complexity of the project.
"We've got four compounds being tested," Lovely said. "Those four compounds getting tested are basically to see what is going to be the best option for the water district to treat the PFAS in the water, with the characteristics of the water."
Lovely said the rest of this year will be used to finalize that testing. He said he expects next year to be used for the design process with Wright-Pierce and start accepting bids for construction services, while 2026 and 2027 will be used for construction.
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