In the wake of a federal report showing levels of PFOA and PFAS allowed in drinking water is too high, New Hampshire’s Department of Environmental Services announced Monday it is hiring toxicologist Stephen Roberts to look at the federal standards used in New Hampshire.
Merrimack and surrounding communities have been dealing with groundwater contaminated by perfluoroalkyls, PFOA and PFOS.
He is the director of the Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology at the University of Florida.
Roberts will review the June report from the Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry.
He is tasked with reviewing the June report and providing an analysis of how the minimum risk levels within the report relate to drinking water and groundwater standards.
Merrimack resident and water advocate Laurene Allen worries that Roberts will not recommend that the limits go down, and that the standards will stay at the EPA’s recommendation.
While Roberts will start as a consultant, New Hampshire is still planning to hire a full-time toxicologist and a human health risk assessor to assist with developing drinking water standards.
Allen said the state government has still not done enough for people dealing with contaminated water.
She wants to see the state step up and do more, and especially inform people about the risks and ways to mitigate those risks.
Allen plans to watch Roberts and the ensuing work that is done to make sure the state lives up to its obligation to keep people safe.