The Chilmark board of health is ramping up its PFAS testing options for residents. 

The board announced Tuesday that more residents will be able to receive testing sample kits from the town to test their drinking water for PFAS, a group of chemicals formally known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. In partnership with New England Chromachem, a PFAS-testing lab in Salem, up to 100 samples will be able to be tested at the same time.  

Testing kits will be available at the town hall on Dec. 16 and Dec. 17 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. To ensure timeliness and accurate results, samples must be dropped off at the town hall Dec. 18 from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.  

Each sample is $265, with an additional $5 for the courier fee.

PFAS in wells has become a concern in Chilmark in recent months, and Chilmark health agent Anna McCaffrey has been in contact with numerous labs in order secure testing at a reasonable price. This new option is only available this week coming, but may come back again in the future.

“I hope that we will continue the relationship with Chromachem and we’ll have more drop off days [in the future],” Ms. McCaffrey said.  

Also known as “forever chemicals,” PFAS are found in many household items and are linked to health issues. In recent years, PFAS has been found across the Island, including in Chilmark, the airport and the West Tisbury landfill. 

In an August letter to the select board, Chilmark resident Jessica Roddy highlighted her concerns about PFAS after Ms. Roddy recently was diagnosed with cancer. She said she believed her disease was due to her well being contaminated. 

“With the help of my oncology team at the MV Hospital I had my blood tested for PFAS,” she wrote. “The test came back last week and I am chock full of PFAS, PFOS and many of the other 15 'forever chemicals' that were part of the test — levels in excess of 9/11 firefighters.”

In October, the Chilmark School switched to bottled water due to PFAS concerns.

The town has already been sending 20 samples every two weeks to the Barnstable County lab for testing. Ms. McCaffrey anticipates that the Barnstable partnership will continue and said that the first come, first serve service has become popular.  

“We have a lot of people interested and usually people get their samples picked up by mid-day and then I run out,” she said.  

Ms. McCaffrey has developed a page on the town website dedicated to PFAS resources to help keep residents in the loop. She is also working on a PFAS results GIS map to track PFAS in town so that the town can begin to paint a clearer picture of where these chemicals are being found. Residents have to voluntarily give their information to Ms. McCaffrey to be put on the map.  

“I have five forms from folks [so far],’ she said. “We’ll do our own research and add information that’s already public information.” 

Earlier this year, state Sen. Julian Cyr filed a bill to address PFAS in Massachusetts and to address public health concerns. The bill calls for state funding to mitigate the chemicals. Ms. McCaffrey encourages concerned citizens to send letters of support for the bill.  

“We wrote a letter to Senator Cyr for the PFAS bill because we need support,” she said. “Chilmark residents can send their own letter in support of the bill and I think it’s important [that they do].”