Wayland's MA Water Resources Authority: Learn About Costs, Timeline At Forum

WAYLAND, MA — Wayland will host a public hearing Tuesday to discuss a major shift in town infrastructure: connecting to the Quabbin Reservoir-fed Massachusetts Water Resources Authority water supply as a solution to PFAS contamination in town wells.

Two years ago, Wayland began testing town wells for PFAS chemicals following a change in state regulations. Wells in the Happy Hollow area tested above state standards, prompting Wayland to temporarily shut those off.

Wayland has built a filtration system to remove PFAS, but the town is considering an MWRA connection as a more permanent solution. The connection would cost an estimated $22 million over the next decade.

The MWRA connection has been in the works for longer than the PFAS problem. The town's Board of Public Works has been studying the issue for about five years.

On Tuesday, the town will host a public forum at 7 p.m. with an MWRA representative to review plans in finer detail. Town Meeting will also review the plan on May 1 before a final vote on making the connection.

"This is an important step forward in securing the stability of our town's water supply," Wayland Town Manager McCall said in a news release. "We look forward to sharing details about the proposed solutions with the town."