Ron Parenti

Acton Water District completes PFAS filtration upgrades

June 13, 2026

by Ron Parenti

On May 4, the Acton Water District (AWD) announced that the installation of the equipment needed to remove PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) from Acton’s drinking water is nearing completion, and that PFAS levels from all three of the District’s operating treatment plants have been reduced to non-detectable…

Nuclear Metals Inc. superfund site update: restoration and remediation

April 11, 2026

by Ron Parenti

At an evening meeting on April 2 held virtually and at Concord Town House, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Remedial Project Manager Kara Nierenberg, EPA’s community involvement coordinator Charlotte Gray, and the de maximis project coordinator Bruce Thompson, provided a 90-minute progress update on the Nuclear Metals…

Opening of water protection land and The Trails at Brewster’s Meadow

November 8, 2025

by Ron Parenti

The Acton Water District (AWD) capped off the successful acquisition of the 549 Main Street property at a well-attended gathering to officially welcome the public to use the trail system on the property. This event, held on September 28, represents the culmination of a multi-year effort to take…

Acton Water District restricts outdoor water use

August 9, 2025

by Ron Parenti

See Editors’ Note at the end of this article. After this edition of the Acton Exchange was sent to production, we learned that the outdoor water use restriction has been relaxed back to 2 days per week, effective August 8, 2025. The summer of 2025 has been unusually…

The Spies of 1775: Fascinating Tales of Mystery, Intrigue, and Marital Infidelity

April 12, 2025

by Ron Parenti

The outcome of any military engagement is difficult to predict, and accurate information about the opposition’s manpower, armaments, and troop movements often plays a critical role in achieving victory. The impending battle between the Colonists and the occupying British army in 1775 would be an asymmetric conflict between…

Young scientists, engineers, and mathematicians take center stage at the 2025 AB Science Fair

February 1, 2025

by Ron Parenti

Iron Group Element Production in Type Ia (read: “type one-A”) Supernovae, Using AI to Predict Heart Disease, and The Effect of Music on Mental Health. This is just a small sample of the project topics presented by the young researchers at the 2025 Acton-Boxborough Science Fair. This event,…

Inmates prepare lunch at the Fife and Drum: a unique and affordable dining experience

August 30, 2024

by Ron Parenti

For most local residents, the herd of cows grazing in the pasture overlooking the Concord rotary is a familiar sight. However, motorists on Route 2 may not be aware that this property is part of the Northeastern Correctional Center (NECC), which is a minimum-security and pre-release facility that…

A light tan industrial-type building with a green roof. There are several small windows and two large bay doors.

Water District celebrates completion of PFAS treatment upgrade of North Acton Treatment Facility

July 12, 2024

by Ron Parenti

Officials from the Acton Water District celebrated the reopening of the North Acton Treatment Plant at a well-attended public ceremony held on 26 June. District Manager Matthew Mostoller announced the completion of the treatment plant retrofit for PFAS remediation, which was initiated shortly after the MassDEP announced its…

Graph with X-axis years from 2004 - 2020. Y-axis is Volume of Water (mgd [millions of gallons per day). The Water Management Act permit shows as a straight red line at 1.94 MGD. A second line shows maximum daily demand. It ranges over the years from a high of about 2.7 MGD to very close to the 1.94 permit line, with a steady downward trend beginning in 2016. The third line shows average daily demand, which hovers between about 1.5 and 1.9 MGD.

Water District Commissioners vote to renew outdoor water use restrictions

June 7, 2024

by Ron Parenti

Outdoor water use restrictions for the summer of 2024 were unanimously approved by the Acton Water District commissioners at the regular meeting of the commissioners on 29 April. District Manager Matthew Mostoller noted that Acton’s aquifers are currently in very good shape, but indicated his intention to impose…

A grey-haired man in a suit jacket stands at a podium. A large screen is behind him with a page from his presentation on leaf blowers.

More on Acton’s Annual Town Meeting 2024

May 16, 2024

Jeff BrownandRon Parenti

Boxborough Annual Town Meeting passes school budget The Town of Boxborough passed the Acton Boxborough Regional School District budget on May 13 at their Town Meeting. For more information, please see the Boxborough News coverage. Town Meeting votes to require special permit for car dealerships on Great Road…

Badge icon representing Human Services

Household Goods hosts bed frame party

May 16, 2024

by Ron Parenti

The email read, “Greetings hard working Volunteers, Bed Frame Party Next Week!” The list of recipients was limited to a select group of workers experienced in bed frame construction, and refreshments were promised. It was an offer too good to refuse. Household Goods is one of Acton’s most…

Acton Water District Prepares for New Federal Limits on PFAS

May 7, 2024

by Ron Parenti

On April 10, 2024, the EPA announced the first federal enforceable drinking water regulations for PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), and placed concentration limits on some of these chemicals at 4 parts-per-trillion (ppt). The EPA predicts that significant health benefits will result from this action; however, managers of…

Pipe connected to water meter

Why Does the Acton Water District Want a Picture of Your Water Pipe?

March 14, 2024

by Ron Parenti

You may have recently received an email or letter from the Acton Water District that requested information about the service line that sends water from the District’s water main in the street into your home or business. These mailings ask the occupant to submit information and a picture…

Map shows existing water pipe trending east-west across the southern edge of the map, and a network of proposed water pipes crossing Concord, Acton and other towns.

Report Estimates Cost and Timeline to Connect to the MWRA Water Supply

October 22, 2023

by Ron Parenti

Since its incorporation in 1912, the Water Supply District of Acton has supplied water to the residents of Acton through a distributed network of wells that pump water from shallow sand and gravel aquifers that were formed at the end of the last Ice Age. The Water District…

a tree and stone wall with a lush green field in the background

State grants for preserving the 549 Main Street property

September 21, 2023

by Ron Parenti

At the Annual Meeting of the Acton Water District held last March, voters overwhelmingly approved the allocation of $4,900,000 to purchase the 57-acre parcel at 549 Main Street on the south side of Brook Street, and obtain a permanent Conservation Restriction on that tract of land. In the…

Kitchen faucet with PFAS icon suggesting unhealthy tap water

Home Filters for PFAS Removal from Tap Water

June 28, 2023

by Ron Parenti

Since new regulations for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were established by the Mass. Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) in 2021, the Acton Water District has issued several advisories that include the words “consumers in a sensitive subgroup are advised not to consume, drink, or cook with water…