WILLIAMSTOWN – Don’t drink the water at Mount Greylock Regional High School, where drinking fountains were closed Friday after tests showed the presence of a potentially harmful chemical, perchlorate, in the school’s wells.
The chemical is widely used as a propellant in, among other things, fireworks, which have been set off on the school grounds at graduations and Fourth of July celebrations.
The administration has halted the use of any school water for drinking and has shut down the south well completely, according a news release. The south well showed a level of 5.05 parts of perchlorate per billion parts of water — five times the maximum allowed under state standards. The north well showed 1.03 parts per billion but is now used only for washing and flushing toilets.
Further tests showed even higher levels, a state Department of Environmental Protection spokeswoman said yesterday — 9.6 parts per billion in the south well and 2.4 parts per billion in the north. The south well remains offline, and the school is providing bottled water.
The school took samples for the first time this April in accordance with new DEP regulations; no sampling for perchlorate had been previously required.
DEP guidlines note that sensitive populations – pregnant women, infants, children up to age 12, and people with hypothyroidism – should not drink water exceeding 1 part per billion, but that higher levels are safe for others.
Bottled water is available for drinking at the school, At this point, the investigation has focused on confirming the safety of the school’s water quality. Later, the source of contamination will be investigated. Perchlorate has been linked to rocket fuel, munitions and fireworks.
Eva Tor of the DEP said, “Just now we’re getting many of the results, but no other schools in Berkshire County show high levels of perchlorate. If the results are confirmed, we’ll try to find out where this might have come from. The first step is to make sure the numbers are real.â€
Ammonium perchlorate is highly mobile in water and can persist for many decades, according to the DEP. Perchlorate disrupts normal functioning of the thyroid gland, and, as in iodine deficiency, can stunt growth and affect behavior, movement, speech, hearing, vision and intelligence, the department said.
Impaired brain development and lower IQ were observed in children born to even mildly or moderately iodine-deficient mothers.
In the absence of a federal drinking water standard, the DEP has developed a draft toxicity value and is working toward the development of standards.
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Dalton Day Returns This Saturday
By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The town's popular Dalton Day festival is returning this weekend after a year's hiatus.
The event will kick off this Saturday at 11 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m. in the field in front of the Senior Center.
The community celebration was established in 2023 by the Cultural Council in an effort to increase resident participation at town meetings while also showcasing the area's welcoming, diverse, artistic and sporty atmosphere. In 2024, the event brought together 300 residents.
"The primary mission of Dalton Day is to foster a strong sense of community, build civic pride, and bring residents together through a shared celebration of local culture, music, and food," said Jeannie Ingram, Select Board member and cultural council chair, and Lori Venezia, executive assistant to the town manager.
The event provides an accessible and free platform for "civic education, community bonding, and supporting local businesses, artisans, makers, and culture more broadly," they said.
The festival strengthens the fabric of the town both civically and economically by connecting grassroots organizations with residents, fostering a shared sense of belonging, and providing free, family-friendly entertainment.
It also serves as an opportunity for community members to meet with local officials and a couple of state officials. State Sen. Paul Mark and state Rep. Leigh Davis will be coming from Beacon Hill to speak at the event.
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Brayden Durant struck out seven and walked one in a complete-game effort on the mound Saturday to pitch the Drury baseball team to a 6-0 win over Keefe Tech in the quarter-finals of the Division 5 State Tournament at Joe Wolfe Field. click for more
Jason Codey struck out 13, walked two and allowed just an infield single as the Generals earned a 7-1 win over Wahconah to claim their third straight regional title. click for more
Gracelyn Wright struck out eight, and Genevieve Lagess went 3-for-5 with four runs batted in as the Hurricanes beat Monson, 17-3, to claim their first Western Mass title in four years. click for more
