Woburn Offering Bottled Water Rebates For DEP Non-Compliance Periods

WOBURN, MA — The City of Woburn has announced that it is offering $90 to residents from sensitive populations who were forced to purchase bottled water last year when the city's water did not meet new Massachusetts Department of Environment Protection (DEP) standards.

The city said its residential rebate program will continue offering $30 per month to sensitive populations during any quarter in which the public water's level of PFAS6 is deemed too high. No housing unit is eligible for more than one rebate regardless of how many qualified individuals reside in the home, the city said.

According to the DEP's drinking water regulations, the sum of six PFAS compounds (known as the PFAS6) must be limited to 20 parts per trillion (ppt).

Public water suppliers are required to test for the presence of PFAS6. When the level rises above 20 ppt, the DEP recommends that consumers in sensitive populations do not consume, drink or cook with the water. The populations deemed sensitive include: pregnant and nursing women, infants under 1-year of age, and people diagnosed by their healthcare provider to have a compromised immune system.

Individuals from these populations are advised to use alternative sources of water such as bottled water tested for PFAS6.

According to Woburn officials, the city was deemed non-compliant with these water standards during the third quarter of 2022, which included the months of July, August and September.

As a result, a rebate in the amount of $90 is available to qualifying customers.

Woburn was compliant with the new state standard during the first, second and fourth quarters of the year, officials said. The city's PFAS6 testing results from 2019 to the present are available online.

Residents who qualify for the water rebate can fill out an application online or in person at City Hall, located at 10 Common Street. In both cases, additional documents are required.

Households applying for the rebate must identify which resident of the home qualifies and must submit written proof from a medical professional that the individual falls into one of the sensitive categories. However, they do not need to identify which category.

Additionally, proof of residency must must be established through a water bill, tax bill or a signed lease. A birth certificate is required for a child under 1-year of age.

According to the city, checks will be mailed semiannually for any quarter in which the city is DEP non-compliant. Households must re-apply every six months after the issuance of the semiannual water bill.

Once residents have been approved and have received a rebate, they do not need to provide a medical letter each time they apply.

Questions about the application process can be directed to the city's Water Department at 781-897-5945.