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State Identifies PFOA Contamination In Amherst Well Water

Emily Corwin
/
NHPR

Private wells near a former manufacturing plant in Amherst have tested high for levels of the chemical PFOA.

The contamination likely originates at a former Textiles Coated International plant. That company moved its operations to Manchester in 2005.

PFOA is the same compound found in high concentrations surrounding the St. Gobain Performance Plastics plant in Merrimack.

The chemical was found in four Amherst wells at concentrations above the state’s threshold of concern, 100 parts per trillion.  Some wells tested as high as 620 parts per trillion. The state is providing bottled water those four residences.

The announcement from DES comes less than a week after the department published a list of 44 sites in New Hampshire where PFOA and similar compounds have likely been used over the years.

So far, the department has only tested water at a few of those locations. 

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