Massachusetts Groundwater: What you need to know

Groundwater quality standards: Massachusetts General Laws (MGL), Chapter 21, Section 27

Hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facilities (TSDFs): 310 Code of Massachusetts Regulations (CMR) 30.660 to 30.675

Groundwater permits: 314 CMR 5.01 to 5.16

Exempted activities: 314 CMR 5.05

Hydrogeological evaluation: 314 CMR 5.09

Permit application: 314 CMR 5.09A

Groundwater standards: 314 CMR 5.11

Wellhead protection: 310 CMR 22.21

Definitions: 310 CMR 22.02

Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Bureau of Resource Protection Groundwater Program

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 1

See ADDRESSES & CONTACTS for addresses and telephone numbers.

See national section for basic information and federal regulations.

• Rules. Massachusetts follows many of the federal rules regarding the protection of groundwater in the state and has additional requirements as well. For more information about the federal requirements, see the national section GROUNDWATER.

Massachusetts requires a permit for the discharge of pollutants to Commonwealth waters, including groundwater. In addition, Massachusetts has extensive groundwater monitoring requirements for hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facilities (TSDFs). These requirements are modeled after and incorporate federal groundwater monitoring requirements. However, it is the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) that specifies the construction requirements for the well bore hole and its protective casing and for the collection of monitoring samples.

Groundwater monitoring is also required at all solid (nonhazardous) waste facilities' ...