Bedford Residents Now Getting Bottled Water

CONCORD, NH - The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) announced on May 25, 2016, that, as part of its investigation into perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in southern New Hampshire drinking water, bottled water delivery will be expanded to include properties in Bedford served by private wells within the 1.5-mile radius of the Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics plant in Merrimack, according to a press statement.

"NHDES made this decision to provide the bottled water to help protect the public’s health based on new well test results that show a number of private drinking water wells in the area having concentrations greater than 70 parts per trillion (ppt) of PFOA," according to Jim Martin, the public information officer for the NH DES.

The expanded area that will receive bottled water includes more than 50 properties in Bedford on Back River Road (south of Smith Road), Green Meadow Lane and Hemlock Road. These properties will be provided bottled water delivery within the next few days; additional bottled water supplies will be available for the affected residences at the Bedford Fire Station and Safety Complex at 55 Constitution Drive.

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An updated map and table of the test results received to date has been posted on the NHDES website: des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/pfoa.htm.

Test results to date for the public water systems, Merrimack Village District Water Works and Pennichuck Corporation, are available here: des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/documents/pfoa-public-water-results-20160524.pdf

The provision of bottled water serves as an interim measure while NHDES continues to work with Saint-Gobain to investigate and determine the appropriate long-term remedy for addressing the elevated levels of PFCs in groundwater. The bottled water being provided to residents has tested “non-detect” (levels too low to detect) for all perfluorochemicals (PFCs), including PFOA.

For more information related to the investigation, visit the NHDES website at des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/pfoa.htm.