Wayland Suing DuPont, 3M Over PFAS Contamination In Town

WAYLAND, MA — Wayland will sue some of the largest chemical manufacturers in the world over the production of PFAS chemicals, which were discovered at high levels in the town's main drinking water wells in 2021.

The town will sue a group of manufacturers including the global conglomerates 3M and DuPont, which the town says manufactured products that led to groundwater contamination in Wayland.

In March 2021, Wayland discovered that wells in the Happy Hollow field — which provide about half of the town's drinking water — tested above the state threshold for PFAS contamination. The state threshold for PFAS compounds is 20 nanograms per liter (ng/l) of water; Happy Hollow's last test on Feb. 25 showed PFAS levels at 29.18 ng/l.

The lawsuit will primarily help Wayland recoup money spent on removing chemicals from town water.

Wayland has since installed a $1.7 million filter system to remove PFAS from drinking water. The town is also exploring a possible connection to the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, which could cost $22 million over the next decade.

"Through this lawsuit, we are seeking to protect our residents and ensure that the costs of cleaning up these contaminants in town are borne by companies that sold and profited from products containing these dangerous chemicals," Department of Public Works Director Thomas Holder said in a news release Wednesday.

PFAS is short for per-and polyfluoralkyl substances, a group of chemicals used in everything from firefighting foam to nonstick pans. Wayland's lawsuit is focusing mainly on aqueous film-forming foam, a common fire suppressant.

The new Massachusetts law setting standards for PFAS in water supplies went into effect in 2021 and requires towns and cities to test for PFAS regularly.

"Studies indicate that exposure to sufficiently elevated levels of certain PFAS may cause a variety of health effects including developmental effects in fetuses and infants, effects on the thyroid, liver, kidneys, certain hormones and the immune system," according to the state Department of Environmental Protection. "Some studies suggest a cancer risk may also exist in people exposed to higher levels of some PFAS."

The Happy Hollow drinking water site has tested below state thresholds in recent months, according to the town.

The law firm representing Wayland, SL Environmental Law Group, is also suing PFAS manufacturers on behalf of Princeton and Lexington.