Water quality is more important than ever. Residential wells can become contaminated by both natural and man-made sources and should be tested for bacteria and other pollutants regularly, or if any changes in water quality are noticed. Since some of these materials may seep through the ground and travel through aquifers for long distances even wells in rural areas can contain chemical contaminants. ChemServe has been providing drinking water testing on residential wells for over 30 years and has the experience for guidance through sample collection and understanding results.
Please contact ChemServe for advice regarding the type of water testing needed for your particular situation.
PFAS contamination of ground water
You may have received a notification from the State of New Hampshire about PFAS levels in your community. PFAS’s are a group of compounds used in the manufacture of water-repellent materials such as non-stick cookware, carpets, outdoor wear, fire retardants and many other types of consumer products that we use every day. The reason for concern about PFAS-related compounds is that they are very stable and rarely breakdown in the environment and toxicology studies have shown they can be harmful to humans.
Detailed information about PFAS contamination of well-water in NH including maps, a PFAS factsheet and other useful data can be found at the NH PFAS Investigation website, here.
If you are concerned about PFAS contamination of your water supply, ChemServe conducts environmental testing for PFOS, PFAS and other PFAS compounds. We accept water samples for an 18-compoud PFAS analysis including PFOA and PFOS tests. Drop in to our Milford facility to pick up containers and instructions.
New limits for arsenic in drinking water
Arsenic occurs naturally in the bedrock of many parts of New Hampshire increasing exposure levels for residents through drinking water. From July 2021 the maximum contaminant level of arsenic in drinking water in NH will be halved from 10 parts-per-billion to 5 parts-per-billion. 46% of all NH residents drink from private wells. According to a report from the Dartmouth Superfund Research program two-thirds of all private wells in NH have over 1 ppb of arsenic, and about 30% have arsenic above the new NHDES limit of 5 ppb. The new limits are not mandatory for homeowners but are recommended based on epidemiological studies on the role of arsenic in human health.
ChemServe offers Arsenic testing in drinking water as part of a package or a stand-alone test. Our sensitive equipment can detect arsenic to 1 ppb.
Municipal Water Testing
The health of community water is a major public concern. Chemserve offers monitoring and sampling services for beaches, lakes, wastewater treatment facilities and public drinking water. Analyses include:
- bacteria, such E. coli, total and fecal coliform, and enterococci
- water quality parameters such as BOD, COD, pH, cyanides, nutrients
- organic contaminants including volatile and semi-volatile compounds, alcohols and PCBs
- inorganic contaminants such as arsenic, lead and other heavy metals
- anions such as fluoride, nitrate, chloride, perchlorate
Refer to the methods section for a full list of analyses offered by ChemServe.
VIEW: EPA methods list