Elevated PFAS Contamination Found in Duxbury's Operating and Intermunicipal Wells
Powder Point Bridge Planners Pivot From Timber Driving Surface
DUXBURY - May 18, 2026 - The Water and Sewer Advisory Board issued a stark warning to town officials tonight, revealing that the actively operating Lake Shore well is consistently exceeding newly established federal safety standards for PFAS contaminants. Even more alarming for some residents, an intermunicipal connection supplying 150 homes in the Gurnet Road area from the town of Marshfield tested at a shocking 6.07 parts per trillion (ppt) for hazardous per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances—significantly above the Environmental Protection Agency’s enforceable maximum contaminant limit of 4.0 ppt. Local health officials and environmental groups are urging immediate public notification, while the Selectboard grapples with the seasonal water shortages and potential multi-million dollar treatment facility bills required to fix the town’s surging infrastructure crisis.
The Full Story
Jim Begley, Chairman of the Water and Sewer Advisory Board, presented a comprehensive and troubling look at Duxbury’s water supply infrastructure. In 2024, the EPA established strict Maximum Contaminant Limits (MCLs) of 4.0 parts per trillion for prominent PFAS chemical compounds like PFOA due to long-term health risks including cancer, thyroid diseases, and critical developmental issues. While federal enforcement is deferred until 2031, the Advisory Board emphasized that these health realities are affecting Duxbury residents today.
Testing records indicate that the Lake Shore Well has been consistently registering an average of 4.8 ppt. Dilution from neighboring clean wells provides some relief to the broader high-elevation pressure zone, but approximately 150 to 200 homes on Lake Shore Drive and Pine Street are believed to be receiving water pumped directly from the tainted source before it ever blends into the Birch Street storage tank.
The situation becomes more complex along the town’s border. Residents in the Gurnet Road neighborhood discovered during the meeting that they are hooked up to a Marshfield supply line that recorded a PFAS spike of 6.07 ppt in April. Making matters worse, officials confirmed that the town has no legal intermunicipal water contract on file with Marshfield, despite purchasing water from them at commercial rates for years.
