As part of its temporary solution to the PFAS-tainted water issue, the town announced that it has started a rebate program for households with at least one member in the sensitive subgroup.

The sensitive subgroup consists of pregnant women, nursing mothers, infants under 1 year of age and people diagnosed by their health care provider to have a compromised immune system. Individuals in this subgroup are advised by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) to not consume, drink or cook with water when the level of PFAS6 is above the state’s legal limit, which is the case in Hopkinton.

The rebate program, effective Dec. 7, will be in the form of a water bill credit of up to $20 per household per month, provided that the household’s water bill is at least $20 per month, to offset the cost of purchasing bottled water. This rebate program is valid until MassDEP and the town determine that the use of bottled water is no longer necessary.

The town notes that the rebate program is not intended to operate as a guarantee regarding any exposure to PFAS and does not imply that it limits exposure to PFAS from other sources.

The application for the bottled water rebate program can be found on the Hopkinton Department of Public Works page at the town’s website.