Capital Strategic Solutions’ (CSS) Public Relations and Community Engagement team has been hard at work with our partners at the Lunenburg Water District and the engineering firm, Tighe & Bond, to share the District’s PFAS and Master Plan Update with the community. The Water District Board of Commissioners has been working ahead of the curve, anticipating the federal PFAS regulations announced on April 10 that delineated an enforceable Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for PFAS. Since MassDEP published its PFAS public drinking water standard in 2020, the District knew it must take action as soon as possible. Since that time, the District has been working with Tighe & Bond and CSS to build a strategy to manage and mitigate PFAS within the District’s water supply.
CSS has been heading the proactive communication and outreach efforts as part of a vigorous stakeholder engagement strategy. These outreach efforts have included the development of a PFAS information page on the District’s website, regular social media posts sharing PFAS information, public meetings on the topic, as well as the creation of a water quality email, waterquality@lunenburgwater.net to field questions from the public. The goal is to build transparency and trust with the public as important infrastructural decisions about PFAS will be headed their way. CSS understands that PFAS is a complicated and evolving situation, and that building an effective communication strategy requires a strong foundation.
At the March 19 Lunenburg Select Board Meeting, CSS’s work on communication and outreach for the district was on full display, as the increased amount and quality of information about the project was apparent to the Board. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7IoCxrNyCo
These kinds of updates are invaluable, the fact that you’re on public access now is invaluable. There was a time when there was a black hole of information, if you didn’t go in person, you didn’t know what was going on. I think this is a world of change, and it’s all positive.
I want to acknowledge your consultants that you’ve hired, and the great work that they’ve done to lay out a good way for community outreach. This is really good and as Mr. Alonzo noted, the updates you’ve provided and just the path that you’ve laid out is a really good model and a really good path.
The project is ongoing, and the CSS team will continue to ask the Lunenburg community for their feedback at every stage of the project. We look forward to our productive work with the Lunenburg Water District, and the community as we follow this PFAS mitigation plan to fruition.
Capital Strategic Solutions offers comprehensive support to water utilities in managing communication about emerging contaminants like PFAS to their consumers. Recognizing the complexities and concerns associated with these substances, our services include the operation of dedicated hotlines and the monitoring of emails, providing a direct channel for addressing consumer inquiries and concerns promptly.
Additionally, we specialize in crafting clear and informative social media posts and news releases, designed to educate the public about PFAS and related health implications. By ensuring consistent and accurate communication, Capital Strategic Solutions plays a crucial role in building trust between water utilities and the communities they serve, facilitating a transparent dialogue about water safety and the measures being taken to protect public health.
For more information about Capital Strategic Solutions PFAS support offerings, email us at info@capital-strategic-solutions.com.