The money will be used to design ways to remove a group of chemicals from the drinking water of Braintree, Randolph and Holbrook.

BRAINTREE The Tri-Town Water District has received a $200,000 grant from the state to reduce the levels of a "forever chemical" in the water system.

The state has also announced new regulations that will require regular testing of drinking water for a group of chemicals known as PFAS starting next year, and also sets a state limit for the levels of those chemicals. There is no federal standard.

Gov. Charlie Baker said the state is committed to making sure all residents have access to safe and clean drinking water.

"By setting stringent standards for PFAS in drinking water, we can ensure that all public water systems across the commonwealth are testing for these emerging contaminants, while providing them the tools and resources they need to address any contamination," Baker said in a statement.

PFAS is an acronym for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a group of man-made chemicals which have been used in a variety of applications since the 1950s, from nonstick cookware and water-resistant clothing to food packaging materials and firefighting foam. They are considered a "forever chemical" because they don't break down and can accumulate in the body. They have been linked to a number of negative health impacts, from weakening the immune system of children, increasing cholesterol levels and causing tumors. They have also been shown to be a health risk for pregnant and nursing mothers.

Braintree Mayor Charles Kokoros, who is chairman of the Tri-Town Water Board, said the money will be used for the engineering and design work needed for PFAS removal at the proposed regional water plant at Great Pond. The plant will serve the town as well as Randolph and Holbrook, the other tri-town members. The regional plant will replace two outdated treatment plants, one for Braintree and one which serves Randolph and Holbrook.

PFAS were discovered in Braintree's drinking water last year as part of the design process for the new water treatment plant. Braintree officials made changes that brought down the PFAS level in the town's drinking water from 24.5 parts per trillion last fall to 21 parts per trillion in January. In April, the town council approved spending $693,020 to install granular activated carbon in the treatment plant's filter system to further reduce the levels.

The new state limit will be 20 parts per trillion and water systems will be required to take corrective action when the limit is exceeded. Testing for PFAS will be required starting in January for large water systems and public notices will be required when the limit is exceeded.

A total of $1.9 million in grants were awarded to 10 water systems by the state.

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Tri-Town gets grant to remove 'forever chemical' - The Patriot Ledger