Health and Environment Committee of the City Council hold a public hearing to discuss the issue of PFAS and overall water quality and work with the City Manager, the Water Board, and relevant city staff to set up the initial meeting this fall

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Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyls, known more commonly as PFAS, a group of human-made chemicals not found naturally in the environment are linked to a variety of diseases and health conditions; and due to the longevity of the chemicals and difficulty of eliminating them are often referred to as “forever” chemicals; and

Studies have linked the chemicals to causing adverse health effects such as low infant birth weights, asthma, cancer and thyroid hormone disruptions. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’s 2018 toxicological profile of PFAS also indicates that high levels of the chemicals in the blood may decrease how well the body responds to vaccines; and

Recent research into the impact of PFAS chemicals is confirming their toxicity has increased the concern at every level of government and in the public, and led the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to set levels for water supply of 20 ppt and the federal EPA to consider declaring two of the chemicals as hazardous substances; and

Measures of PFAS levels in the city’s water supply showed levels just below the state’s standard until recently, when levels above the 20 ppt were detected leading to a decision to switch to water supplied by MWRA whose PFAS levels are negligible; and

The city is trying to reduce PFAS by implementing a granular activated carbon filtration system in the hope of reducing the levels of PFAS below the state limit, which system is expected to be operational by year end; and

Over the years many users of Cambridge water have expressed concern about quality of the water, including high chloride levels, the lack of identification of the source of the PFAS contamination, and whether MWRA water should become a permanent source of water; and

Drinking water safety and quality is of utmost importance to all who live and work in Cambridge and the City Council seeks to ensure that the community can hear from staff and others on water quality and can hear about steps being taken to address concerns about our water supply and the quality of water in Cambridge; now therefore be it

ORDERED: That the Health and Environment Committee of the City Council hold a public hearing to discuss the issue of PFAS and overall water quality, and work with the City Manager, the Water Board, and relevant city staff to set up the meeting; and be it further

ORDERED: That a first meeting on this topic be held this fall.