Public-health staff report new PFAS detections; MassDEP sampling underway

Andrew Shapiro, Nantucket environmental contamination administrator, briefed the Board of Health on recent PFAS monitoring results, reporting several detections since November and noting active MassDEP follow-up sampling.

Shapiro said testing identified several samples above the Massachusetts guidance level of 20 parts per trillion (ppt): a Fulling Mill sample reported as an imminent-hazard detection (106 ppt), a Main Avenue detection at about 22 ppt and a Sasatchika Road detection around 24 ppt. He said MassDEP was on the island sampling near Fulling Mill and Hammock Pond Road and that his office reached out to property owners for next steps and retesting where appropriate (SEG 2958-3046).

Shapiro noted the health department has conducted more than 500 private-well tests and that data are entered in property files and must be disclosed at property transfer. He encouraged residents to test wells and said the department will continue to coordinate with MassDEP. He also announced a public information session on Jan. 22 (online) to present surface-water and foam results from recent summer sampling (SEG 3068-3076).

Whats next: MassDEP results from the recent sampling are pending and will be reported to the board when available; residents with detections are being contacted individually to discuss mitigation or retesting.