PFAS Update - POET System Advisory Committee Reports

Currently Princeton is providing point of entry treatment systems (POETS) for residents in the area of the town center whose well water tests at or above the 20 parts per trillion (ppt) acceptable limits. We provide bottled water for those home with detectable levels below 20 ppt. The Selectboard asked the Advisory Committee to research whether we should provide POETS for these households too.

By a 4-1 vote, the Advisory Committee recommended that the Selectboard not provide the additional POETS.  At the Selectboard’s meeting on August 10th, Advisory Committee members Helga Lyons and Holly Burgess presented the AC majority and minority reports, respectively, on the town providing     POETS for residents under the 20 ppt acceptable limit.  Copies of the reports can be found at https://www.town.princeton.ma.us/board-health/pages/pfas-information

Karen Cruise has recused herself from PFAS deliberations. The remaining Board members agreed to follow the majority recommendation.  Due to the large additional expenditure required, these Board members felt it would be more appropriate to put this issue to a town meeting vote in the future.

The Selectboard would like to thank the Advisory Committee for their continued efforts in researching this difficult issue. Both reports are extremely thorough and we recommend that interested residents read them.