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Lawmakers hear calls to require private well testing, vouchers for filters as PFAS and other contaminants spread
Summary
Public-health officials, municipal board members and service providers told a legislative hearing that Massachusetts needs statewide standards requiring private-well testing at transfer plus financial help for remediation after widespread PFAS and other contamination was described.
A suite of bills to expand protections for private drinking water wells drew support from public health groups, the state’s district attorney, municipal board-of-health members and nonprofit service providers at a Joint Committee hearing.
Representative Sean Connolly and Senator Eldridge were among lawmakers who framed the hearing as part of a broader push to ensure equitable access to safe drinking water for roughly 500,000 residents who rely on private wells. The proposals discussed included a mandatory testing requirement at time of property transfer (House Bill 9 28 / House Bill 900 / Senate bill 585 variants), funding mechanisms to help low-income homeowners cover remediation and a voucher program for point-of-use filtration promoted by District Attorney Marian Ryan.
District Attorney Marian Ryan said a voucher program would…
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