UPDATE: This story has been updated include a statement from the West Springfield Water Department.

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – The EPA is being audited for funds used in the treatment of drinking water. This comes as Massachusetts received two grants since 2022.

Massachusetts has resolved many of its drinking water issues, but that wasn’t for free. The Baystate received over $3.9 million from community project funding and congressionally directed spending in 2022 and 2023, but the inspector general is now auditing how the EPA distributed those funds.

Michael D. Davis with the Office of Audit wrote in an email that there are some benefits to being audited, “The anticipated benefits of this audit include verification of compliance with federal requirements and EPA policies and procedures, as well as identification of potential operational efficiencies.”

This audit is a part of a larger initiative from the OIG which will give the inspector general more oversight on how grant funds are spent. While Massachusetts has very strict laws on PFAS, West Springfield and Westfield both measured PFAS amounts over the legal limit last year.

Michael O’Connell, Deputy Director of Water for West Springfield sent 22News this statement:

“The Town of West Springfield DPW Water Division became aware of the presence of PFAS in our source water just over 10 years ago. At that time the Town’s Water Treatment Plant was already using a treatment process that is known to remove PFAS contamination. That treatment process has been and continues to be used to treat the Town’s drinking water. In order to ensure the safety of our drinking water the DPW Water Division regularly monitors the levels of PFAS through mandatory and voluntary water quality sampling. Throughout all of the water quality sampling the levels of PFAS in the treated water have never exceeded the legal limits.”

Michael O’Connell, Deputy Director of Water, West Springfield, MA

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) has a data portal available on their website where information on water testing and results for every municipality in the state can be found.

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Jack Wu joined the 22News Storm Team in July 2023. Follow Jack on X @the_jackwu and view his bio to see more of his work.