Duxbury health officials are weighing new strategies to alert residents after reports that the Lakeshore Drive well continues to exceed state limits for PFAS chemicals. Unlike other municipal water sources that are blended in central tanks, water from the Lakeshore Drive well flows directly to nearby homes, creating a specific risk for vulnerable populations. Becky from the Duxbury Safe Water Committee told the Board of Health on April 16 that the well is still testing above the maximum contaminant level for PFOA. She emphasized that because the water is unmixed, immediate notification is essential, particularly for families with infants. Melissa, a board member, noted the complexity of the situation, stating, It's a really challenging issue... currently in Massachusetts, there's a mix of six PFAS that are regulated at 20 [parts per trillion]. At some time either 2029 or 2031, a lower level will be enforced.

The discussion comes as the town faces a looming financial shadow, with total filtration and remediation costs for the water system estimated between $43 million and $100 million. Melissa reported that the Water and Sewer Advisory Board is considering a recommendation to shut down the well entirely, a move that would likely necessitate a town-wide outdoor irrigation ban to maintain fire flow and system pressure. Board members debated how to operationalize notifications through billing inserts or website updates. Chair Karen Tepper asked, How do we notify people? There should be somewhere where people can see it. What's the best way to operationalize that? Another board member suggested that the town must look at the root causes of contamination, noting that it all circles back to fertilizing and approving these things... whether regulating the use of fertilizer is something we'd be open to. A joint meeting with the Selectboard is scheduled for May 18 to finalize mitigation plans.

In a first-of-its-kind move for the town, the Board granted a safety variance to The Oysterman to allow for the acidification of sushi rice. Health Agent Lauren Gauby explained that she recently completed state training that necessitates formal Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans for such processes. They are acidifying rice so that it's shelf-stable. It can become dangerous if specifically Bacillus cereus grows, Gauby said, adding that the rice must maintain a pH below 4.2. One board member questioned the necessity of the formal variance, asking, I'm not clear what the variance is. I understand the biology... but what is it a variance to? Gauby clarified that state code prohibits food additives like vinegar for preservation without a specific variance. The restaurant must now maintain daily logs and submit annual lab samples for review. Motion Made by K. Tepper to grant the variance request to The Oysterman related to Section 3-502.11 for sushi rice acidification. Motion Passed (5-0-0).

The Board also addressed a nitrogen-reduction request for 24 Deer Path Trail North, where a homeowner is seeking to add an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) within a Zone 2 wellhead protection area. Engineer Paul Lauderbach proposed the installation of a MicroFAST unit, which costs approximately $9,500 plus annual maintenance fees up to $1,000. In order to have that five bedrooms in the aquifer protection district... he's proposing a FAST system unit, Lauderbach said, noting the system reduces it to 25 milligrams per liter of nitrogen. Selectboard Liaison Brian Glennon raised concerns about the system's reliance on a powered blower, asking, How does the system work if power goes down through hurricanes in the winter? Lauderbach explained that while bacteria can survive for 24 to 48 hours, a prolonged outage would require several days for the system to recover its full filtering capacity. Motion Made by K. Tepper to grant the use of the MicroFAST unit to increase loads in a Zone 2 wellhead protection area under 310 CMR 15.217, with conditions for power outage mitigation and annual inspections. Motion Passed (5-0-0).

Gauby concluded the meeting with a departmental update, noting that a new full-time administrative assistant will begin on July 1. This hire is expected to help the department transition away from its current reliance on consultants for food and nursing inspections and assist in the digitization of town health records. Gauby reported that her office is currently preparing for seasonal beach permits, water sampling, and the inspection of 12 local summer camps and public pools.