Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the PFAS topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council hears DEP update: about 207 home filtration systems in Fairfield; testing limited by funding
Summary
Vice Chair Matt Townsend told the council that DEP reported roughly 500 filtration systems statewide and 207 in Fairfield, maintenance contracting runs to 2027 with about $11 million remaining for systems and testing, and DEP said it will not test wells below 20 ppt due to funding limits.
Vice Chair Matt Townsend told the Fairfield Town Council on June 10 that the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has installed slightly more than 500 filtration systems statewide and that 207 of those systems are in Fairfield.
Townsend said the DEP indicated a maintenance contract for filtration systems is in place through 2027 and that about $11 million remained for filtration system work and testing statewide. He said the DEP could not provide an exact timetable should funding begin to run low but told the committee it would provide "plenty" of notice to communities. Townsend also reported that, due to funding limits, DEP currently has no plans to test wells with contamination levels below the 20 parts‑per‑trillion threshold.
Townsend and the Environmental Committee raised concerns about outreach: some Fairfield residents who qualify for filtration systems have not responded to DEP about installation, and committee members asked about community notice timelines if funding shortfalls occur. Townsend noted the meeting was recorded and will be made available after DEP completes its review.
The council did not take formal action at this meeting but recorded the update for continued committee follow‑up.
