Sen. Eldridge and Rep. Sena announce $930K to Improve Boxborough Water Quality
Grant will go towards the Codman Hill Condominium to deliver clean water to the residents
Boxborough, MA – State Senator Jamie Eldridge (D- Marlborough) and Representative Danillo Sena (D-Acton) announce a $930,000 grant that will benefit the Codman Hill Condominium Association’s water quality improvement projects. The condominium association will use these funds to address per- and polyfluoroalkyls (PFAS) contamination through a consolidation project with the Littleton Electric Light and Water Department (LELWD). Last session, Senator Eldridge, Representative Sena and Representative Jim Arciero (D-Westford) had passed special legislation to allow for the town of Boxborough and LELWD to partner on a water infrastructure project to deliver clean water to this part of Boxborough that is designated as an Environmental Justice neighborhood.
The Codman Hill Condominium Association is a residential group located in Boxborough. As part of a small community, the association became eligible for the Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) grant made available for the first time last year. With their award, the condominium association will be one of three groups in Boxborough that will receive funding to address PFAS contamination in the water supply.
PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, are widely used chemicals that take a significant amount of time to degrade. While more research must be done to fully understand the effects of PFAS, all studies conducted on PFAS chemicals have found them to pose risks to individuals’ health. As there is not a reliable method of removing PFAS from the water supply once it has been contaminated, the association will consolidate its water supply with that of Littleton Electric Light and Water Department.
“The presence of PFAS chemicals in the Massachusetts water supply is a threat to public health that the state must address proactively and equitably,” said State Senator Jamie Eldridge. “I would like to thank MassDEP Commissioner Heiple, EOEEA Secretary Tepper and the Healey-Driscoll Administration for their support of small communities like Boxborough’s Codman Hill Condominium Association as the state continues to address drinking water concerns. This grant will ensure that our communities are cleaner and healthier in the future, and I am grateful to U.S. Congresswoman Lori Trahan for voting for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and prioritizing funding for water infrastructure projects.”
“Our communities should not have to worry about the presence of PFAS in our water supply, and we must take action to address this issue,” said Representative Dan Sena. “I am happy to see this grant go to Boxborough’s Codman Hill Condominium Association to ensure safe and healthy water, and I am thankful for the work of the Healey-Driscoll Administration and EOEEA Secretary Tepper for their support of programs to mitigate PFAS.”
The EC-SDC program is made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In 2023, the United States Department of Environmental Protection announced the EC-SDC grant program to help disadvantaged or small water suppliers address elevated levels of chemical contamination. To be eligible for this program, must fall into one of three water supplier categories that excludes for-profit water suppliers, and serve a disadvantaged population or population smaller than 10,000 people. The program does allow for for-profit communities or private households to receive support if they qualify for special eligibility.
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