At a glance
Region 1 covers the PFAS sites in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. These assessment evaluations check for PFAS-containing aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) in drinking water. An overview appears below for each site.
Southern New Hampshire
Region 1 Contact
CAPT Tarah Somers, RN, MSN/MPH
Regional Director
(617) 918-1493
(617) 918-1494 – FAX
tvs4@cdc.gov
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) tested public and private drinking water supplies in the Southern New Hampshire area. This water may have been contaminated by discharges from nearby factories. Some of the public and private wells are contaminated with PFAS. The state is taking actions to address the contamination.
ATSDR is evaluating the test results to determine if drinking the water may harm people's health and will provide the findings in a written report.
Pease International Tradeport (aka Former Pease Air Force Base) (NH)
In May 2014, the City of Portsmouth worked with New Hampshire's Department of Environmental Services and Department of Health and Human Services (NH DHHS) to test the Pease International Tradeport drinking water wells for PFAS. One of three wells had elevated levels of PFOS.
The City of Portsmouth took the well off-line. PFAS were found in the other Tradeport wells and in some residential private drinking water wells near the site. The source of PFAS in the groundwater is likely past use of AFFF fire suppressant used at the former Pease Air Force Base. ATSDR evaluated the test results from contaminated city and private wells. This was to determine if the drinking water may harm people's health.
On April 1, 2019, a report on these findings was released for public comment. ATSDR is preparing a report evaluating PFAS exposures from private wells in the area. Also, ATSDR created a Community Assistance Panel (CAP) to receive input from community members about health studies. That same year, ATSDR initiated the Pease Study to look at the association between health outcomes and PFAS exposure to expand the PFAS science base.
In addition, in 2015, NH DHHS tested the blood of people who worked on, lived on, or attended childcare on the Pease Tradeport or Pease Air Force Base. These same people drank water from contaminated wells.
North Bennington PFOA well water (VT)
The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (VDEC) found PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) in private drinking water wells in North Bennington. VDEC is testing private wells within a 1.5-mile radius of the former ChemFab site to see how widespread the contamination is. The Vermont Department of Health (VDH) asked NCEH/ATSDR for technical support in addressing health issues.
Hampden County near Barnes Air National Guard Base (MA)
As early as the 1980s, the Barnes Air National Guard Base (the Base) used AFFF containing PFAS for its firefighting training. These compounds later moved off-site in groundwater. This likely affected municipal and private drinking water wells located downgradient of the base.
PFAS was first detected in Westfield in 2013. The Westfield Water Department and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) took actions to ensure the quality of the drinking water. Over several years, these actions included:
- Removing three drinking water supply wells from service
- Placing temporary water restrictions on all non-essential water use
Presently, the Westfield Department of Public Works (DPW) – Water Division's primary sources of drinking water are from surface water and groundwater sources meeting federal and state PFAS guidelines. The Westfield DPW-Water Division installed a temporary treatment system. This system ensures that PFAS levels in the treated water are below detection limits.
The Westfield DPW-Water Division is in the process of installing permanent treatment on its four affected wells. The Westfield DPW-Water Division continues to test its water sources and pursue system improvements to address PFAS contamination. Nearby private wells were sampled and, if needed, filtration systems were installed.
ATSDR is conducting an exposure assessment at this site. The primary goal of the exposure assessment is to provide information to the community about levels of PFAS in their bodies. This information might be used to help inform future studies evaluating the impact of PFAS exposure on human health.