HUDSON – U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, state Sen. Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton) and state Rep. Kate Hogan (D-Stow) toured Hudson’s Chestnut Street PFAS treatment system on Oct. 11 to highlight $1 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, which will be used to upgrade the plant’s PFAS remediation capabilities.
“Almost every community across the Third District has been impacted by PFAS contamination, and that’s particularly true here in Hudson. I’m grateful to the town’s leadership that recognized the dangers of these forever chemicals early and have emerged as leaders in responding to contaminations,” said Trahan.
She added, “The use of federal American Rescue Plans [funds] for this critical project is exactly the kind of investment I had in mind when I cast my vote for this legislation last year, and I look forward to continuing our work alongside Senator Eldridge, Hudson leaders, and partners from across the region to address dangerous PFAS contaminations.”
In 2019, per- and polyfluoroalkyls (PFAS) levels in Hudson’s groundwater supply were first detected at levels above the federal health advisory level.
Since then, the town has been providing water with non-detectable levels of PFAS to residents and deployed a temporary treatment facility while the current, permanent facility was designed and constructed.
Hogan said the town “acted impressively” since discovering PFAS.
“Over the past three years, the town has built comprehensive water filtration systems to ensure safe, quality water for Hudson residents,” she said.
Executive Assistant Thomas Gregory said the $1.2 million ARPA subsidy will be to reduce borrowing costs for the new PFAS water filtration plant. Gregory said it will have a “direct benefit to the ratepayers in Hudson for many years to come.”
He thanked Trahan for her support for ARPA.
“ARPA funds are providing the opportunity for Hudson and other communities across the country to make once-in-a-generation investments to water, sewer, and stormwater infrastructure,” he said.
The Town of Hudson’s Chestnut Street Water Treatment Plant secured this ARPA funding through the Clean Water Trust’s ARPA Water Infrastructure Grants.
In 2021, Governor Charlie Baker and the legislature allocated $100 million in federal ARPA funding for the Clean Water Trust to be used as grants for water infrastructure projects.
“I am grateful to Congresswoman Lori Trahan for advocating that federal American Rescue Plan Act funds be dedicated to the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust that provided critical funding to the Hudson Department of Public Works to build a new PFAS water treatment facility to treat all of the water from Hudson’s public wells,” said Eldridge.
He added, “Congresswoman Trahan has been a leader in advocating that federal infrastructure bills include billions of dollars for water infrastructure, given the need of communities across Massachusetts. I have been very impressed with the work that the Hudson Department of Public Works has accomplished in the past few years to address PFAS contamination in the Hudson’s water supply.”
Eldridge noted that he looks forward to continuing his work with Trahan and Hogan.
“I’m proud to work with my federal and state government delegates to bring needed funds to Hudson so that these efforts can continue,” Hogan said.
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