Acton Water District

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…

Q&A with candidates for AWD Commissioner

April 12, 2025

by Kim Kastens

This year, there are two candidates running for the position of Commissioner of the Acton Water District (AWD): John Petersen and Barry Rosen. This post contains the candidates’ answers to questions prepared by the Green Acton Water Committee. The Acton Water District is an independent government entity, separate…

2025 Acton Water District Annual Meeting

March 22, 2025

by Kim Kastens

Approximately a dozen voters passed judgement on a dozen warrant articles, overseen by about a dozen staff and officials, at the Annual District Meeting of the Acton Water District (AWD) on March 19 at Acton Memorial Library. Voters approved a total budget of $8,030,202 for fiscal year 2026,…

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…

A man shows an old black and white picture.

Water District leads abutters on preview hike

July 5, 2024

by Alissa Nicol

Two families enjoyed an early evening hike on the newly acquired Acton Water District (AWD) land located at 549 Main Street on Thursday, June 28. AWD District Manager Matt Mostoller and AWD Environmental Manager Alex Wahlstrom organized the Public Access Preview event for abutters to the property. Mostoller…

A cavernouse metal shed (the Acton Water District headquarters) where the audience is seated on the left, and various town officials (Finance Committee, Water District Commission) are seated at the tables on the right.

Voters authorize $2.5 million in additional borrowing at Acton Water District Special Meeting

June 21, 2024

by Kim Kastens

The equipment garage at the Acton Water District (AWD) Headquarters was the setting for the June 13 Special District Meeting, at which voters authorized $2.5 million, above and beyond the $7.82 million authorized at a previous District meeting, to install bedrock wells and a PFAS treatment system at…

A brick building with a large metal silo attached.

UPDATED: Acton Water District calls Special District Meeting to request an additional $2.5M for PFAS treatment

June 1, 2024

by Kim Kastens

At their meeting on the evening of May 28, the Acton Water District (AWD) Board of Commissioners set a Special District Meeting to ask voters to authorize additional borrowing, beyond what was previously appropriated, to design and install PFAS treatment infrastructure and bedrock wells at the Central Acton…

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…

Erika Amir-Lin

Q&A with candidate for Acton Water District Commissioner

April 19, 2024

by Kim Kastens

This article is adapted from the website of Green Acton. This year, there is one candidate running for the position of Commissioner of the Acton Water District (AWD): Erika Amir-Lin. This post contains Ms. Amir-Lin’s answers to questions prepared by the Green Acton Water Committee, with the goal…

The 2024 Annual Water District Meeting; Alexandra Wahlstrom, Environmental Manager; Barry Rosen, Commissioner; Stephen Stuntz, Commissioner; Erika Amir-Lin, Chair of the Board of Commissioners; Mary Basset, retiring District Counsel.

2024 Acton Water District Annual Meeting

March 28, 2024

by Kim Kastens

A sparse group of about a dozen Acton voters gathered on Wednesday, March 20, for the Annual Meeting of the Acton Water District (AWD). The AWD is a separate municipal entity from the Town of Acton, with its own governance structure. AWD Annual Meeting is analogous to Acton…

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…

A portion of the FEMA National Flood Hazard Map covering southern Acton, from Acton's Stormwater Management Asset Plan

NEWS BRIEF: Town of Acton kicks off Hazard Mitigation Planning Process

March 6, 2024

by Kim Kastens

The Town of Acton has begun the process of revising its Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP). A municipal HMP documents the types of natural hazards that may harm the community, and details actions the town has taken and is planning to take to mitigate potential damage from such hazards. Natural hazards…

AWD Commissioners vote a 50% increase in water rates for FY25

February 1, 2024

by Kim Kastens

At a joint meeting of the Acton Water District (AWD) Commissioners and the AWD Finance Committee (FinCom) on January 22, the Commissioners voted for a 50% increase in water rates beginning in July 2024. The water rate increase will be applied evenly across residential, municipal, and commercial water…

Entrance to Acton Water District office

Acton Water District Finance Committee Discusses Financial Policy and Fiscal Year ’25 Budget and Water Rates

January 8, 2024

by Kim Kastens

The Finance Committee (FinCom) of the Acton Water District (AWD), along with the District Treasurer and Manager, met on January 4 to continue crafting the District Financial Policy, review the draft Fiscal Year ‘25 (FY25) budget and Annual Meeting warrant articles, and discuss water rates for FY25. FY25…

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

Settlement agreement reached in PFAS lawsuit, potentially benefiting the Acton Water District

June 28, 2023

by Kim Kastens

At the June 5 meeting of the Acton Water District (AWD) Commissioners, District Manager Matthew Mostoller announced that the District had received word that a settlement agreement had been reached in a multi-district lawsuit against the manufacturers of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS are a family of…

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…

Entrance to Acton Water District office

New Leadership at the Acton Water District Finance Committee

June 19, 2023

by Kim Kastens

Laboring in relative obscurity, the Acton Water District Finance Committee (AWD FinCom) grapples with tough problems and big price tags. Their work is becoming more complicated and possibly more consequential as the Water District faces escalating capital and operational costs to remove perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and…

Man and woman in a basement with large tank and heating equipment. Man gesturing.

Environmental Education for Acton Residents

May 1, 2023

by Karen Root Watkins

From conserving water resources to adopting renewable energy in our homes, Acton residents are learning and acting. On Wednesday, April 26th, the Acton Water District led a “Water Wise Nature Walk” about Acton’s water supply while touring the key conservation land along Brook St and 459 Main St…