Bedford – NH PFAS Investigation

Merrimack Back River Road Well Decommissioning Handout

Update on Negotiations with Saint-Gobain

Posted on March 6, 2018 by Jim Martin

NHDES, through the Office of the Attorney General, and St. Gobain have made considerable progress in their negotiations. As of the internal deadline of February 28^th, the parties had reached an agreement in principle on some important terms of a proposed consent decree. While nothing is signed yet, the parties will continue to work over the next few weeks to finalize the consent decree and achieve our shared goal – providing potable water to residents. We understand the desire to get this resolved and hope to soon reach and communicate a resolution.

Video and Documents from Bedford Public Meeting, January 11, 2018

Posted on January 25, 2018 by Jim Martin

On January 11, 2018, NHDES and the Department of Health & Human Services, Division of Public Health Services, in coordination with the Town of Bedford, hosted a public information meeting to provide an update on the on-going investigation of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) releases from Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics, Inc. The primary agenda items included an update on treatment for Merrimack Village District (MVD) wells 4 and 5, public water connections, short and long-term investigation, and a discussion on blood testing, including results of the MVD Community Exposure Assessment.

A video of the meeting is available (courtesy of Bedford Public Television) here: http://reflect-vod-bedfordtv.cablecast.tv/vod/8417-PFOA-1-11-18-Medium-v1.mp4

Additional NHDES materials from the meeting are included below:

Southern NH PFOA Investigation, Bedford Public Meeting slides. January 11, 2018.

PFAS Investigation Map. Updated January 9, 2018

Southern NH PFAS Investigation Map. Updated January 9, 2018

Bedford NH PFAS Investigation Map. Updated January 9, 2018

Bedford Public Info Meeting on January 11

Posted on January 3, 2018 by Jim Martin

News from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: January 3, 2018

CONTACT: James Martin, (603) 271-3710

Bedford Public Information Meeting

NHDES and NH DHHS Update on PFOA Investigation

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) and the Department of Health & Human Services, Division of Public Health Services, in coordination with the Town of Bedford, will host a public information meeting on Thursday, January 11, to provide an update on the on-going investigation of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) releases from Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics, Inc.

The primary agenda items will include a discussion on blood testing, including results of the MVD Community Exposure Assessment, an update on the public water project design and the short and long-term investigation.

Meeting Information:

Bedford: Thursday, January 11, 2018, 6:00 p.m. Riddle Brook Elementary School

230 New Boston Rd, Bedford, NH 03110

For background information or to signup up for email alerts, visit the NHDES PFAS Investigation website: https://www4.des.state.nh.us/nh-pfas-investigation. For more information related to the Public Information Meeting, please contact Jim Martin, NHDES Public Information Officer at 603 271-3710.

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NHDES announces Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Agrees to Fund Design Study to Extend Manchester Water Works service to Bedford Residents

Posted on September 22, 2017September 22, 2017 by Jim Martin

News from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: September 22, 2017
CONTACT: James Martin, (603) 271-3710

NHDES announces Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Agrees to Fund Design Study to Extend Manchester Water Works service to Bedford Residents

CONCORD, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) and Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics (Saint-Gobain) are today announcing that Saint-Gobain will arrange with Pennichuck Corporation to complete the engineering design and prepare the bid-ready documents to extend Manchester Water Works (MWW) service to 61 homes in Bedford, New Hampshire.

Saint-Gobain has agreed to pursue the bid process in response to drinking water wells in the area containing perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) above New Hampshire’s Ambient Groundwater Quality Standard of 70 parts per trillion (ppt).

“We appreciate Saint-Gobain’s continued efforts to provide clean drinking water to affected residents. We look forward to working in a collaborative way as our investigation continues,” said Bob Scott, NHDES Commissioner.

“We are pleased that this project is moving to the next phase,” said Tom Kinisky, President and CEO of Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics. “Once the engineering study is complete, and subject to the finalization of a consent order with NHDES, then next steps and timing will be determined.”

Bedford Town Manager Rick Sawyer stated that, “Bedford appreciates Saint-Gobain’s willingness to work with us on this important issue and in implementing a solution that reflects the overall sentiment of the impacted residents.”

NHDES has also requested that Saint-Gobain connect an additional 39 properties in Bedford to public water, but Saint-Gobain has indicated to NHDES that it believes these areas were affected by other PFOA sources. NHDES and Saint-Gobain continue to review, evaluate and investigate these areas. Decisions regarding these properties will proceed on a separate timeline.

Separate from this work, a design effort for 23 properties in Bedford in the South River Road area is now under way. This design will move on a different timeline because MWW water mains are already located within the area of these homes, making them easier to connect. A decision related to these properties is still being negotiated.

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