Source article with map that allows you to zoom in:
https://environmentamerica.org/center/resources/pfas-found-in-americas-lakes-and-streams/
Submitted article from the Sentinel & Enterprise:
https://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/2026/10/19/new-report-pfas-contamination-found-in-massachusetts-lakes-and-rivers/
PFAS chemicals are contaminating waterways across the United States, putting fish, wildlife and drinking water at risk, including ones near Lowell including the Nashua, Merrimack and Concord rivers, according to a new report from MASSPIRG Education Fund, Environment Massachusetts Research and Policy Center, and Frontier Group.
The study, PFAS in America’s Rivers and Lakes, finds that perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances were detected in Massachusetts’ waterways at 87% of the 108 testing locations from 2022 to 2024.
“Massachusetts waterways should be clean and free of toxic chemicals,” said Johanna Neumann, acting director of Environment Massachusetts Research and Policy Center. “Yet PFAS contamination of our rivers and lakes is widespread. We shouldn’t have to worry about tainted drinking water or catching and eating contaminated fish.”
“This poisoning of our water is what happens when we use toxic chemicals throughout our economy for unnecessary uses including nonstick cookware, cosmetics and personal care products and clothing,” said Deirdre Cummings, of the MASSPIRG Education Fund. “It’s time to turn off the toxic tap and stop using PFAS in so many products.”
Some of the waterways where PFAS were detected:
• The Nashua, Merrimack and Concord rivers were all found to be high in PFAS, said Cummings.
• Flint Pond, in Tyngsboro, is popular for kayaking, canoeing and fishing. The test at the 61-acre pond found a PFAS level of 30 nanograms per liter for 11 PFAS. Nearby, PFAS were detected in the Merrimack and Concord rivers, which are also popular for fishing.
• Spectacle Pond in Lancaster, is a 66-acre pond popular for boating and fishing, eight PFAS were detected at a total PFAS level of 13.9 ng/L.
• In the Boston area, PFAS were detected in the Charles River and Jamaica Pond, both popular areas for recreation and fishing. The Charles River tested at 11 ng/L for 10 PFAS, and the Jamaica Pond tested at 14 ng/L for 8 PFAS.
• In Western Massachusetts, PFAS were detected in many cherished rivers and ponds including the Connecticut, Chicopee and Hoosic Rivers and the Oxbow pond in Easthampton and Pelham lake in Rowe.
Alan Alai, president of the Cape Cod Chapter of Trout Unlimited, warned, “The increase of these forever chemicals in Cape Cod’s freshwater rivers and ponds is alarming. Ultimately, they will reach our single source aquifer. These dangerous chemicals are another layer of pollution added to already degraded waterways and need to be stopped from harming our critical water resources.”
Companies use PFAS, also known as ”forever chemicals” in many everyday items such as nonstick cookware, fast food packaging and waterproof clothing. Because they are so widely used in our economy, they wind up in our waterways through an astonishing array of pollution pathways — including industrial and sewage plant discharges, sewage sludge spread on farmland, landfill leachate, and firefighting foam.
The report, which covers 40 states, draws on data from the national Water Quality Portal maintained by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, and local Waterkeepers in Massachusetts.
As many as 30 different PFAS compounds were detected at one or more water testing locations.
The PFAS contamination revealed in the new report is likely just the tip of the iceberg, as it does not include all sources of PFAS testing data and many waterways have not been tested for PFAS at all.
“We often talk about PFAS levels in the context of drinking water, but this report confirms that these forever chemicals are actually far more pervasive. Anyone who enjoys the rivers, ponds, and streams of Massachusetts may be at risk of exposure. It’s time we start thinking about PFAS as a universal and unifying water quality issue that warrants an urgent statewide response,” said Melissa Shapiro, Policy Director, Massachusetts Rivers Alliance.
While there is much that is unknown about thousands of PFAS, the chemicals have so far been linked to a wide range of health risks — including decreased fertility, developmental delays in children, compromised immunity and some types of cancer.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has issued 64 fish consumption advisories tied to PFAS.
To stop these persistent toxins from continuing to pollute America’s rivers, lakes and streams, the groups behind the report are calling for:
• Phasing out the use of PFAS, especially where safer alternatives are already available;
• Barring industrial facilities from dumping PFAS in our rivers or sending them to sewage treatment plants;
• Ending the application of PFAS-laden sewage sludge on farmland;
• Monitoring PFAS in surface waters to identify contamination, understand its extent track changes over time.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has issued 64 fish consumption advisories tied to PFAS in freshwater ponds and rivers.
