US states boost funding to remove PFAS from drinking water

Massachusetts announced $899,486 in grants for five communities in the Ipswich River Basin to improve water infrastructure and eliminate per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from public supplies. Projects include leak detection in Lynn, a pilot test of granular activated carbon filters at Peabody’s Walsh Water Treatment Plant, design work for a new treatment plant in Ipswich, and a full‑scale demonstration using Purolite resin in Hamilton and Wenham.

Maine’s earlier PFAS response, which invested more than $200 million after discovering contamination linked to decades of sludge spreading, is highlighted as a model for other states. Wisconsin has recently allocated $133 million for testing, remediation, new wells and protections for landowners, drawing lessons from Maine’s experience.

These initiatives reflect growing state‑level efforts across the United States to address the health risks of “forever chemicals” in drinking water and to secure safe water supplies for residents.