Wayland DPW board blocks contaminated soil transfer to South Landfill

WAYLAND — October 18, 2022 — Wayland DPW board blocks contaminated soil transfer pending its own review. The Board of Public Works on Tuesday unanimously passed a motion by member Mike Wegebauer barring any new material from being placed at the Route 20 South Landfill or other board-controlled property without express written approval, after hearing rumors that PFAS-contaminated soil from the Loker Field project might be stockpiled there. Town Manager Stephen Crane, joining late, called the action premature and warned it could cost taxpayers "hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars" to truck the material to Ohio, accusing the board of asserting control "without even any kind of analysis." Chair Cliff Lewis cited the 195 Main Street precedent, where materials were placed without notice. Separately, DPW Director Tom Holder reported the Happy Hollow PFAS treatment system was activated Friday and is producing roughly 545 gallons per minute on two of three wells; converting the site's plastic piping to welded steel would cost about $300,000.