All State Policies: New Hampshire
Who’s Responsible?
Below are short descriptions of relevant state agencies/departments by policy topic, followed by more information on specific policies.
Drinking Water: New Hampshire’s public water systems are regulated by the Department of Environmental Service’s Drinking Water and Groundwater Bureau “to protect public health by ensuring safe and reliable drinking water, through collaboration, education, assistance, and oversight.” Nearly half of New Hampshire residents access drinking water from private wells, which are not regulated or monitored by DWGB.
Policies
Drinking Water
HB 1264
7/23/2020
Set the maximum contaminant levels for certain perfluorochemicals in drinking water, established a PFAS fund and programs and made an appropriation requiring insurance coverage for PFAS and PFC blood tests, and expanded the statute governing ambient groundwater quality standards.
“The maximum contaminant levels for the following shall be:
(a) Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA): 12 parts per trillion.
(b) Perfluoroctanesulfonic acid (PFOS): 15 parts per trillion.
(c) Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS): 18 parts per trillion.
(d) Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA): 11 parts per trillion.”
Senate Bill 309
07/10/2018
This bill directed the Department of Environmental Services to evaluate the ambient ground water quality standards for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluoroctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and set ambient groundwater quality standards for perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS). It also established the criteria for setting maximum contaminant limits for public drinking water and directed the Department to set maximum contaminant limits for PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, and PFHxS. A toxicologist position was established in the Department, as well as a classified human health risk assessor.
In 2019 New Hampshire adopted maximum contaminant levels that were challenged in a lawsuit by 3M, a sewage sludge disposal company, and a municipal water and sewer district. (Plymouth Village Water & Sewer District v. Scott, No. 217-2019-CV-00650 (N.H. Super. Ct. Nov. 26, 2019).
