About Us

In 2016, residents in Westfield, MA began to become aware of the long-standing contamination of their water supply by Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, from aqueous film forming foam used in firefighting training exercises.  

Frustrated with a lack of information and officials who claimed an abundance of caution was being used despite the absence of information, residents began reaching out to one another and academic researchers, utilizing their talents to begin educating themselves and each other, and advocating for their community.

Since WRAFT was officially founded in 2017, we have successfully: 

• held PFAS educational events for community members and legislators, and

• advocated for 

  • public participation in the Barnes cleanup process, 

  • a PFAS Exposure Assessment in Westfield, and for 

  • Barnes Air National Guard Base remediation to be covered under the Defense Environmental Restoration Program. 

We have also served:

• on the MassDEP's PFAS MCL Stakeholder Group,

• in Community Liaison capacity for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Guidance on PFAS Exposure, Testing, and Clinical Follow-Up,

• as Community Members on the Barnes ANGB Restoration Advisory Board, and 

• offering expert testimony for other PFAS affected communities.

And yet there is still so much more to do...  Westfield residents still don't have universal testing for PFAS or PFAS related health effects. There is no medical monitoring in place for contaminated communities, and no education for residents about what to do now that they have been exposed.