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DA, Lawmakers Press for State Program to Test Private Wells and Offer Filtration Vouchers
Summary
Representatives, the state district attorney and public‑health advocates told the Joint Committee that hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents rely on private wells and that an enacted law to require testing at time of property transfer plus a voucher/loan program for remediation would protect public health.
Lawmakers heard testimony from district attorneys, public‑health experts, nonprofit advocates and municipal officials who urged enactment of legislation to require private‑well testing and to establish financial assistance for households that discover contamination.
Representative Connolly, sponsor of House Bill 9 18, told the committee the bill would create an advisory panel and begin to address long‑standing environmental justice concerns related to sand mining and water contamination, then turned to co‑sponsor District Attorney Marion Ryan and partners supporting a voucher program for filtration equipment.
District Attorney Marion Ryan summarized a proposed DEP‑run voucher program to provide…
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