Groveland Water and Sewer Department Files Superfund Lawsuit, Utilizes CERCLA

GROVELAND — The Groveland Water and Sewer Department, and the Board of Commissioners share the following regarding the ongoing PFAS class action lawsuit. 

Groveland Water and Sewer are part of a class action lawsuit with many of the chemical companies related to PFAS. The lawsuit is related to chemical companies dumping waste/chemicals into the Merrimack River, which can contaminate drinking water in area towns.

As part of the lawsuit, Groveland has contracted attorneys from the law firm Napoli Shkolnik, which is seeking to utilize the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), as part of the Superfund Law.

Groveland Water and Sewer will use all money received through a settlement or court verdict to offset residents’ costs for the planned construction of a Water Treatment Plant. The plant will assist in meeting or exceeding new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency PFAS guidelines. 

While Groveland’s current water supply is well within safety standards — and is ranked among the cleanest in Essex County by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) — the town has occasionally exceeded the action level for PFAS. Users also experience discolored water, especially during peak usage times, due to iron and manganese that is naturally present in the groundwater. 

Groveland Water and Sewer and the Board of Water Commissioners are aggressively pursuing outside funding to lessen the final cost of the Water Treatment Plant to ratepayers.

###