Bottled Water to Be Provided to About 400 Properties

CONCORD, NH - The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) announced this week that bottled water delivery will be expanded to approximately 400 properties in Merrimack and Litchfield that are served by private wells and are within and abutting a 1-mile radius of the Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics plant in Merrimack.

NHDES made this decision to provide the bottled water to help protect the public’s health based on data that indicate an area of contamination of private drinking water wells, a number of which contain greater than 100 parts per trillion (ppt) of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Residents of Merrimack and Litchfield whose wells to date have tested above 100 ppt of PFOA are already receiving bottled water. Saint-Gobain has communicated to NHDES that they are willing to provide the bottled water for this expanded effort.

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All residents of Litchfield living within the current one mile investigation radius, as well as those on the following streets outside of the radius, now qualify to receive bottled water: Courtland Avenue, Lance Avenue, Jeff Lane, Mike Lane, Ronisa Avenue, Ivy Way, Robyn Avenue, Acorn Way, Oak Drive, Sybil Lane, Garden Drive and 381-450 Charles Bancroft Hwy (north of Midway Ave. and south of Strawberry Lane).

An initial month’s supply of bottled water will be available for pick up on the following schedule:

Litchfield Transfer Station/Recycling Center, Recycling Way in Litchfield.

• Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Monday, noon to 7 p.m.

Residents must bring proper identification, such as a driver’s license, to receive bottled water. Residents unable to pick up water on Sunday or Monday because of physical limitations can call 603-271-9461 to make alternative arrangements. Residents will be contacted to make arrangements for future deliveries of bottled water to their home.

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 PFOA 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, please visit the NHDES website at des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/pfoa.htm.

Submitted by the NH DES.