Harford Executive Cassilly Assembles Countywide PFAS Task Force

Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly issued an executive order last week establishing a countywide task force in response to new EPA limits on PFAS in drinking water. The task force met for the first time Thursday.

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of man-made chemicals used since the 1940s in consumer, commercial, and industrial products, and have been detected in water supplies throughout the nation. The EPA recently set limits on PFAS in drinking water as low as 4 parts per trillion and required public systems to test by 2027 and comply by 2029.

Harford County’s public water system serves over 130,000 customers and has been testing for PFAS since 2012. It uses an activated carbon treatment system, which is recognized as a current best practice for removal of PFAS compounds from raw water supplies. Harford performs more than 230,000 tests per year and all recent testing shows PFAS safely below the EPA limits.

Per Executive Order 24-01, the new task force will coordinate among government entities countywide to align efforts at detection and timely removal of PFAS where needed, share knowledge and expertise, and disseminate information to keep the public informed. The group will also pursue grant funding to address PFAS.

Led by Harford County DPW Deputy Director Bill Bettin, who oversees the county’s public water system, task force membership includes, but is not limited to, representatives from Harford
County Health Department, Harford County Public Schools, the municipal governments of Aberdeen, Bel Air, and Havre de Grace, and other subject matter experts designated by the county executive.

“Safe drinking water is essential, and while we are pleased that Harford’s public drinking water tests below the limits for PFAS, we are taking a team approach to this issue affecting others in our county, including public schools on well water,” County Executive Cassilly said. “I would like to thank DPW Deputy Director Bettin and his staff for proactively addressing PFAS in our system and our customers who support the necessary investments. Thanks also to task force members for sharing their knowledge and joining our effort to help ensure the safety of drinking water throughout Harford County.”

The Harford County PFAS Task Force webpage is on the county website at Drinking Water PFAS Task Force | Harford County, MD (harfordcountymd.gov).