$1,487,027,035
That's how much money was spent or allocated to address
PFAS in Massachusetts public water systems as of May 2026.
No region in Massachusetts is unaffected by the PFAS crisis. Massachusetts residents didn’t cause the problem, but we are shouldering the costly burden of paying for the cleanup. Preventing PFAS contamination will protect communities before the harm and costs occur.
Public water systems in 99 Massachusetts communities have found per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water at levels exceeding the Massachusetts Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL). The MCL is the highest amount of a contaminant that can be in drinking water without causing adverse health effects.
To protect public health, these water systems have closed contaminated wells, constructed new water treatment facilities, provided bottled water for impacted residents, and/or connected to new water sources. Private well owners across the Commonwealth have also had to test and treat for PFAS. PFAS contamination will continue to threaten our health, our water, and our environment until we:
● Phase out currently unavoidable PFAS and incentivize safer solutions
● Clean up existing contamination
● Stop putting contaminated wastewater sludge on land
Who is paying for this clean-up?
From 2017–2026, Massachusetts spent or allocated over $1.48 billion to address the PFAS contamination crisis. Of these identified costs, PFAS manufacturers covered less than 1% of total costs via identified legal settlements. The rest? Taxpayer dollars. For example:
● The Department of Defense spent $48.8 million to conduct environmental investigations and cleanup at designated military sites in the state. (2016-2023)
● The Environmental Protection Agency allocated $77 million of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds to the MA Department of Environmental Protection’s (MADEP) Emerging Contaminants in Disadvantaged Communities Grant for PFAS removal. (2022-2025)
● The Massachusetts Clean Water Trust Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund has invested $1.009 billion in loans and grants for local PFAS remediation projects. Money in the Clean Water Trust comes from federal and state sources. (2019-2026)
● An additional $9.1 million was allocated in 2026.
● Massachusetts counties, cities and towns received $35.3 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding and congressionally directed federal funds to design/construct PFAS water treatment facilities. (2022-2025)
● MADEP provided $8.4 million in 2019 and 2020 for PFAS treatment design grants and an additional $2 million for PFAS Rapid Response Grants. (2019-2022)
● MADEP spent $11 million for the PFAS Free Laboratory Analyses Program for Public Water Suppliers and Private Wells. (2019-2022)
● MassDEP’s Bureau of Waste Site Cleanup has spent $1 million on PFAS Imminent Hazard Mitigation to respond to private wells with PFAS concentrations above the Imminent Hazard level. The state provided bottled water, sampling, Point of Entry Treatment system installation and operation and maintenance, and site oversight. (2019-2025)
● Massachusetts has spent $500,000 to administer the AFFF Takeback Program to collect and dispose of Aqueous Film-Forming Foam. (2017-2026)
● Local communities have allocated $262.3 million of town resources to pay for PFAS clean-up. These funds come from assessments, increases in town water rates. Towns are also responsible for paying back State Revolving Loan Fund loans.
$1.4 billion is just the tip of the iceberg.
This doesn't include ongoing costs for contaminated farms, healthcare, contaminated natural resources, updating firefighting equipment, paying for ongoing operating costs of filtration systems, and addressing newly contaminated communities as they arise.
The solution? It's time to stop making, selling, using, and disposing of items containing PFAS.
