Condo owners get loan to cap tainted well

The Woodvale Condominiums complex in Acton has received a low-interest loan from the state that will allow the association to cap its contaminated well and connect to the town's water system.

The connection became necessary after uranium was detected in the well, said Joe Ferson, a spokesman for the Department of Environmental Protection.

In 2006, Woodvale entered into an agreement with the state to correct the problem by closing off the well and connecting with another water supply, Ferson said.

Uranium naturally occurs in some drinking-water sources. Exposure to uranium in drinking water may result in toxic effects to the kidney. According to the Department of Environmental Protection, some people who drink water containing high levels of uranium over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

To help pay for the project, Woodvale applied for a loan from the Massachusetts Water Pollution Abatement Trust.