NH DES: Elevated Levels of PFOA Found in Amherst

CONCORD, NH - The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) has announced that it is expanding its investigation into perfluorochemicals (PFCs) in drinking water to now include the town of Amherst after water wells were tested near the former location of Textiles Coated International (TCI).

In a press statement from Jim Martin, the public information officer for the NH DES, 11 water well test results show concentrations of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) ranging from non-detect to 620 parts per trillion (ppt). Four of the 11 water well test results were more than 100 ppt.

The NHDES has advised property owners whose wells showed concentrations above 100 ppt not to drink the water, and that bottled water will be provided to them as an interim measure.

NHDES has posted a map of the results here: des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/documents/pfoa-aerial-amherst-20160510.pdf

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"According to TCI’s website, the company is an American manufacturer of high-performance fluoropolymer films, laminates, and composites," according to Martin. "Based on information about TCI’s previous use of PFCs, NHDES collected the water samples from wells within a one-mile radius of 105 Route 101A, the former location of TCI in Amherst. TCI operated at the Amherst location from 1985 to 2006, and currently has a manufacturing facility at 200 Bouchard St. in Manchester that started operations in 2005."

PFCs are a man-made chemical used in a variety of products – like non-stick cookware, weather resistant clothing, and carpeting – that makes them resistant to heat, oil, stains, grease, and water. The NH DES said while the US EPA had not set enforceable drinking water standards for the acid, it had established a “provisional health advisory” for any amount more than 0.4 micrograms per liter.

The NHDES, according to Martin, recently conducted an unannounced site inspection at TCI’s Manchester facility.

"Historically, TCI used ammonium perfluorooctanoate (APFO), an ammonium salt of PFOA, but reported to NHDES during the inspection that they have not used any dispersions containing APFO after 2013," Martin noted.

NHDES will initially be contacting the owners of private water wells located within a half-mile radius of the Amherst location to make arrangements to collect samples, and will adjust the investigation area as necessary. Well owners within the initial investigation area can request their well to be sampled by filling out the NHDES form that can be found at the following link: surveymonkey.com/r/NHDES-S-03-008 .

"With respect to the current TCI facility in Manchester, a NHDES survey did not identify any private water wells within a one-mile radius of that location," Martin stated. "Lake Massabesic, the source of public water supply for the city of Manchester and many surrounding communities (located approximately between three and six miles from the TCI facility), was tested recently by the Manchester Water Works, which found concentrations of PFOA at background levels (3 ppt)."

Amherst is now the sixth community in south-central New Hampshire where the state has found both safe and dangerous levels of PFOA. Wells and/or public drinking water systems in Londonderry, Litchfield, Manchester, Merrimack, and Bedford, have all been tested in recent months.

For more information on NHDES’ PFOA investigation in southern New Hampshire drinking water, please visit des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/pfoa.htm . A public inquiry line is available to help answer questions at 603-271-9461.