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Council authorizes closure of town PFAS point‑of‑entry reimbursement program
Summary
Town Manager Rick Sawyer recommended closing the town’s ARPA‑funded PFAS point‑of‑entry treatment reimbursement program because the state program is available and town uptake was minimal; the council authorized the closure to allow state reallocation of funds.
The Bedford Town Council on Oct. 9 approved a motion authorizing the town manager to close the municipal PFAS point‑of‑entry treatment reimbursement program and to rely on the state program for resident reimbursement.
Town Manager Rick Sawyer said the town created the program in 2021 before the state had its own reimbursement program; since then the state has stood up a broader program that has processed the bulk of local applicants and allocations. “Since then, we've only had two people go through our program and over, I believe, it's over 90 now [through the state],” Sawyer said, and recommended closing the town program to avoid duplication of effort and to allow state-administered funds to be reallocated to other water programs before federal ARPA deadlines.
Councilor Dave Gilbert moved to authorize the town manager to close the program; Councilor Michael Strand seconded and the motion passed by voice vote. Staff said they will ask state partners whether any administrative reallocation to Bedford-specific drinking-water projects is feasible, but cautioned that the state program’s eligibility and allocations are controlled at the state level and that changes might require administrative or legislative action.
The council’s action is procedural: it closes the town’s separate reimbursement channel while assuring residents that state resources remain available.
