PFAS Found in 87% of Massachusetts Waterways

A MassPIRG Education Fund report calls for broader surface water testing and limits on PFAS-containing products across the state.

Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Organic Food

Flat-color editorial illustration of a winding river bend between dark pine banks, with a rust-toned foam sheen in one eddy under an overcast navy sky. — MassPIRG Education Fund reported PFAS in 87% of 97 Massachusetts waterway locations sampled between 2022 and 2024, urging broader testing and product limits. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Do you think Massachusetts should test local waterways more extensively for PFAS?

PFAS were detected at 87% of 97 Massachusetts locations sampled between 2022 and 2024, according to a MassPIRG Education Fund report. The group is advocating for more extensive surface water testing and limits on PFAS-containing products in Massachusetts.

Why it matters

Massachusetts has a 20 ng/L maximum contamination level for PFAS in drinking water but no state standard for surface water, leaving waterways without a set limit. PFAS are used in firefighting gear, nonstick cookware, water-repellent outerwear and waterproof cosmetics, which are common sources of exposure.

The data draws on 2022 to 2024 monitoring from multiple federal and state sources, showing a Massachusetts high of 97 ng/L at Ashumet Pond against a 20 ng/L drinking water limit. As of December 2025 there were 64 PFAS-related fish consumption advisories in the state, but no current advisories along the Deerfield River.

The players

MassPIRG Education Fund

The Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group Education Fund is a nonprofit advocacy organization that conducts research and campaigns on environmental and consumer issues.

3M is a multinational manufacturer whose products have historically included PFAS compounds, and it has faced extensive litigation over PFAS contamination.

Chemours Company

Chemours is a chemical company spun off from DuPont that produces fluoropolymers and has been involved in PFAS-related regulatory and legal matters.

DuPont de Nemours, Inc.

DuPont de Nemours is a multinational chemical company that has been a major producer of PFAS chemicals and is a defendant in PFAS contamination cases.

The details

PFAS were present in aqueous film-forming foam used at Joint Base Cape Cod, and the highest reported concentrations were 1.3 ng/L in the Deerfield River, 1.5 ng/L in the Connecticut River at Chicopee, and 3.9 ng/L in the Chicopee River. The report also cites a 2024 discharge of 1,450 gallons of firefighting foam at a Brunswick Executive Airport hangar in Maine, which contaminated a retention pond with PFOS at 1,040,000 ng/L.

August 2024: Firefighting foam was discharged at a hangar at Brunswick Executive Airport in Maine.
2022 to 2024: Massachusetts waterways were sampled for PFAS contamination.
December 2025: 64 PFAS-related fish advisories were recorded in Massachusetts.
November 11, 2026: MassPIRG published its PFAS report on Massachusetts waterways.

Food Landscape

The EPA's 2024 national drinking water rule set enforceable limits for PFOA and PFOS, but it does not directly govern the surface waters that feed rivers, ponds and the food supply. This report shows that gap is wide in Massachusetts, where the state's 20 ng/L drinking water limit has no counterpart for surface water.

Residents who fish or swim in Massachusetts rivers and ponds should check current fish consumption advisories before eating catch from those waters. Consumers concerned about PFAS can look for products labeled free of these chemicals, such as nonstick cookware and water-repellent outerwear, when shopping.

The takeaway

Surface water in Massachusetts is far less protected than drinking water, and closing that gap will depend on broader testing and limits on PFAS in consumer products. Readers can reduce exposure by checking local fish advisories and choosing PFAS-free products where possible.