ATLANTA, GA - The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has released a health consultation report, “Evaluation of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Private Wells near the Saint-Gobain Site in Southern New Hampshire, Merrimack, New Hampshire”,for public comment. ATSDR will accept comments from the public until March 1, 2022.

This health consultation evaluated the public health effects of exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in private drinking water wells near the Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics facility in Merrimack, New Hampshire. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was the most frequently detected PFAS in private wells in the towns of Merrimack, Litchfield, Londonderry, Bedford, and Manchester surrounding the Saint-Gobain facility. The report concluded that before actions began in 2016 to reduce exposures, drinking private well water contaminated with PFAS could have increased the risk for harmful health effects for some community members. ATSDR is preparing a separate report evaluating exposures from public water supplied in the area.

Currently, harmful exposures to PFAS in private wells have been minimized by providing alternate water and taking other actions. People who continue to drink contaminated, untreated private well water may still have an increased risk for harmful health effects. Residents continuing to drink from private wells should monitor their well water quality and should work with local authorities and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services to take appropriate action to remove harmful contaminants, if needed.

To read the report with ATSDR’s additional conclusions and recommendations, visit https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HAC/pha/StGobainPlastics/St-Gobain-PFAS-HC-PC-508.pdf. Copies of the report can also be reviewed during regular business hours at:

Merrimack Town Hall
6 Baboosic Lake Road
Merrimack, NH 03054

The public comment process gives the community an opportunity to review the report and provide input. ATSDR’s responses to those comments will be included in an appendix of the final report.

The report will be available for public comment beginning on December 15, 2021. The public can email comments, by March 1, 2022, to ATSDRRecordsCenter@cdc.gov. Comments can also be mailed to:

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
ATTN:  Records Center,
4770 Buford Highway NE, Mailstop: S-102-2,
Chamblee, GA 30341.

ATSDR is exploring options for sharing our findings with the community in virtual availability sessions or otherwise. We will inform the community in advance when these occur. For more information about ATSDR’s evaluation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Private Wells near the Saint-Gobain Site,report, community members can call 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636), email www.cdc.gov/info, or visit https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HAC/pha/StGobainPlastics/St-Gobain-PFAS-HC-PC-508.pdf

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ATSDR, a federal public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, evaluates the potential for adverse human health effects of exposure to hazardous substances in the environment.