The Seacoast Long-term Drinking Water Commission heard the NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) is in the process of establishing a drinking water standard for manganese. An EPA health advisory has been issued, and by law, NHDES must adopt an ambient groundwater quality standard which is an enforceable drinking water standard. A public notification level for manganese lower than the current standard has been proposed but could be very expensive to meet because manganese is widespread.
Branden Kernan of the NHDES said that PFAS and arsenic MCLs (minimum detectable levels) are fully implemented, but that EPA has issued new draft toxicity data for PFOA/PFAS that could indicate that there is no safe level for these chemicals.
We also learned that a new PFAS compound, PFPrA, is being detected very broadly and may be widespread. It is an ultra short chain compound for which there is no toxicity profile currently.
Mr. Kernen said 2022 NH legislation will address lead in drinking water in schools and childcare facilties and that no lead level is safe but getting to zero is costly.
The Drinking Water and Ground Water Trust Fund provides rebates for PFAS treatment systems where no immediate responsible party is identified, the Dover/Portsmouth interconnectdivity project and the Seacoast private well samplish initiative, which collects data and helps residents avoid future exposure to chemicals such as arsenic, but not PFAS. Community activists will be essential for the success of these programs because of the large number of private wells.
About one-half of Greenland residents get drinking water from the Portsmouth, NH water system and the other one-half of Greenland residents are on private wells.
Mr. Kernen reported that The American Rescue Plan Act and The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act are making funds available for project planning, infrastructure projects, long-term system sustainability and disadvantaged communities. Water systems the size of Portsmouth and disadvantaged systems serving many NH communities are eligible for versions of these funds as well as state matching funds.