Londonderry, NH, is a gorgeous New England town located in the southeastern part of the Granite State. The small-town charm everyone loves, coupled with access to amenities and conveniences of living near Manchester and other suburbs, provides a great place to call home. While it is a thriving community with abundant natural beauty, Londonderry residents have to worry about their water quality, for both city and well water homes and businesses alike.

Londonderry residents still need better water quality.

With the report of PFAS and PFOA contaminants on the news quite often, particularly for Merrimack and Bedford, Londonderry residents have to learn more about their risk for contamination and the steps the town is taking to help them. The town brings some positive things to the table regarding water purity. In previous meetings, concerned residents discussed the PFAS spill from Saint Gobain in Merrimack. Their town leadership was proactive in putting together a water quality task force to uncover the potential contamination issues facing them, working with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) to provide options. But along with these positive movements, there are still issues to dive into for both city and well water users alike.

City Water vs. Well Water in Londonderry

While the city water does meet all state and federal water standards, the underground wells and groundwater supply all over the state have varying levels of PFAS and other contaminants. You may have a few noticeable issues in your well water. If you have a high mineral content in your water, you may see issues such as hard water buildup on fixtures or appliances or have slightly smelly or discolored water. With a range of concerns, homeowners and business people alike are looking for the right solutions to give them cleaner water that’s safe for them and their neighbors, customers, and family members.

Contaminants found in Londonderry, NH water.

Currently, the most common and potential well water concerns include the following —

  • Microbial viruses and bacteria
  • inorganic contaminants from stormwater runoff
  • Organic chemical contaminants like PFAS, carcinogens that can cause liver, kidney, immune, reproductive, and overall physical harm
  • Pesticides and herbicides from farms and homes
  • Radioactive contaminants from oil and gas

And city water faces issues like —

  • Chemical additives for purification, like fluoride and chlorine
  • Some detection of PFOA/PFAS (within legal limits)
  • The source water from Lake Massabesic was last tested in 2002 (while the purified water is routinely tested, last being in 2021)

While the town’s city water solutions fall within permitted limits, and the city water suppliers are working to improve the water quality, We are now learning that the allowed levels may not be what’s best for human health. we’re going to take a look at what the Environmental Working Group recommends and what they have discovered about Londonderry water.

The EWG Report for Londonderry

The EWG, a nonprofit organization, provides wonderful information and resources to help you determine what is safe and healthy for your family. One free resource that they provide is a water quality assessment based on your zip code, looking at a variety of factors. from natural contaminants such as arsenic or lead to man-made contaminants like pesticides and PFAS, the EWG gives a score to your water quality and provides information to help you determine if you want to ingest and use local water that may be tainted with contaminants.

According to the EWG (their study done in 2021), a few specific contaminants are of concern for Londonderry. Now keep in mind these contaminants may fall under legal levels; the EWG is pointing out that trace amounts can still negatively impact health, particularly younger children, immunocompromised individuals, and aging adults.

The locations that they tested include —

From the sites, here are some of the concerning contaminants listed —

Bromodichloromethane and Chloroform

Created when chlorine and other disinfectants treat the water, these are byproducts that act as a carcinogen and particularly can impact fetuses during pregnancy.

Learn more about Chlorine in Drinking Water

Haloacetic Acids (HAA5 and HAA9)

These compounds are carcinogenic and can cause bladder cancer, colorectal cancer, and adverse developmental and reproductive issues.

PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic Acid) and PFOS (Perfluorooctane sulfonate)

PFOA is called the forever chemical because it never dissolves into the environment. It can build up in the body and create issues like cancer, cardiovascular disease, kidney and liver problems, and respiratory disease, including asthma and COPD; it also impacts infectious diseases and vaccine effectiveness.

If you live on well water, you may have issues with the following chemicals —

Radium

A radioactive element, it can cause bone and other cancers. It occurs naturally in groundwater, as oil and gas extraction impacts the concentrations.

Nitrate

From fertilizer, it can run into municipal wastewater treatment centers and septic systems. It can cause an increased risk of cancer as well as oxygen deprivation in babies.

Uranium

It is a known carcinogen that has proven to cause more than 4.6 cancer cases out of 100,000 residents.

Arsenic

Long-term exposure can cause cancer, skin lesions, cardiovascular issues, and diabetes. It also impacts cognitive development in growing humans, including in-utero, infants, and young adults.

NH Tap’s recommendations for clean water in Londonderry.

Everyone needs to pay attention to their local water standards and quality reports regardless of whether they use well or city-supplied tap water in their homes. Some things to remember about water’s impact on health include —

  • While many believe bottled water is a safer alternative than tap water, studies have shown bottled water is no cleaner than tap water when it comes to specific contaminants.
  • City water depends on chemicals to clean the water, leaving byproducts behind.
  • Under the sink or refrigeration filtration units do not eliminate a majority of contaminants.

NH Tap developed whole-home filtration systems to remove these and other common water contaminants, including PFAS. Our long-lasting, single-tank units can remove heavy metals, PCBs, chlorine, industrial chemicals, and more — helping you source the purest water for your home or business.

Schedule a Water Test To Find Out If You Have Contaminants in Your Water

Understanding the current state of your local city and well water in Londonderry is essential if you want to ensure you have safe drinking water in your home or business. NH Tap can provide a range of tests (some for free) to check the precise levels of contamination, letting us know what filtration unit will best serve you. Getting the best water begins with knowing what’s in your water. Schedule your water test today.

Get Londonderry’s best public or well water filtration.

Staying up-to-date on testing results from both your local public works department as well as the NHDES website helps you make informed decisions about how best to protect yourself and your family—whether you get your supply from a local well system or through city-supplied taps!

We are passionate about educating and providing absolutely pure drinking water to all NH residents.

Because we customize our water purifiers to order, NH Tap has been able to tailor our filtration media to remove the contaminants shown to exist in Londonderry’s public water and private water. We offer installation on all of our purifiers, a 5-year warranty (including parts and labor), and a lifetime of support. Our Whole House Water Filtration System is customized to order with the correct media mix to remove chlorine, iron, uranium, arsenic, PFAS, or any other chemicals that exist in Londonderry’s tap water.

Whether you have well water or use city water, NH Tap loves to help families get peace of mind and delicious, clean water. Enjoy only the purest water at every faucet and appliance in your home!