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Like many public water suppliers, the City has been aware of the emergence of PFAS as contaminants of concern in recent years. Cambridge water is and has been safe to consume, and the City is proactively switching to MWRA water while we await the installation of new filter media that will reduce PFAS levels in the future.
The MassDEP standard for the level of PFAS in public drinking water is 20 nanograms per liter (ng/l), or 20 parts per trillion (ppt) for six specific compounds called “PFAS6”. Compliance with the MassDEP standard is the quarterly average of the monthly PFAS6 test results. The Water Department has been in compliance with the MassDEP regulations since we started monitoring for PFAS in August 2019 and has also been proactively monitoring for PFAS in our water supply reservoirs since that time (Hobbs Brook, Stony Brook, and Fresh Pond) to stay on top of this emerging issue.
The Water Department has been aggressively evaluating how to reduce PFAS levels in Cambridge Water and will be installing new Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) filter media in the Water Treatment Plant this fall. When the filter media is replaced, based on the GAC filter media pilot study results, approved by MassDEP, it is anticipated that our PFAS levels will be reliably and consistently below MassDEP standards.
It is possible that during the transition to the MWRA, you could experience discolored water. If you do, please call the Cambridge Water Department at 617-349-4770 for assistance.
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