DANVILLE - An odorless substance has contaminated drinking water for about 160 residents in town. Four Seasons Campground is the latest public water source to test positive for high levels of arsenic.
Water with levels of the element higher than 0.01 milligram per liter is not safe to drink, according to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. Earlier this year, the arsenic levels at Four Seasons were .012 mg/L, but the most recent samples taken in September showed an increase to .019 mg/L.
The news is being taken seriously, according to Diane Shikrallah, water systems operator at the park. Earlier this month, every resident received a letter informing them of the potential dangers of drinking water containing arsenic.
The letter also said high arsenic levels aren't an emergency.
If ingested over a long period of time, arsenic can cause cancer, cardiovascular disease and other serious medical issues. The longer someone ingests contaminated water, or the more of it they drink, the higher their risk of illness, according to Bernie Lucey of the state DES Public Drinking and Groundwater Bureau.
Four Seasons resident Mike Clavette said he's concerned enough to change his habits.
He and his wife have lived in Four Seasons - and have been drinking the tap water - for the past three years, he said. But when they received that notice, they made the switch to bottled water.
"We were buying bottled water occasionally before," Clavette said. "But the last water notice we got from here said, 'Don't drink the water,' so we aren't."
Still, Clavette said he isn't concerned that he will immediately become ill.
"I'm not so happy, but what do you do?" he said. "I was just surprised because it seems (the levels) have gone up a lot."
Wayne Wheeler, who lives on another street in the park, said he wasn't as surprised.
"It never smelled good to me," he said.
Wheeler said he's always purchased bottled water rather than drinking the tap water at Four Seasons.
But Shikrallah maintained the problem will be addressed, and hopefully residents won't be scared into buying bottled water for long.
"It's really not a hazard at this point," she said. "We're going to look at it again in the next quarter and certainly we'll take action if we need to at this point."
Arsenic is a natural element found in bedrock. Artesian wells, which are drilled in bedrock, are at a higher risk of containing arsenic. Those wells also are at a higher risk of containing fluoride, uranium, radium and radon.
About 40 percent of the state's residents get their water from public wells. Those with newer sand and gravel wells aren't at the same risk as people who have artesian wells, according to Lucey.
He said he's seen arsenic levels can be as high as .04 mg/L, but anything over the state's standard is something to be concerned about.
"If there's any arsenic or contaminant at all, there would be some potential risk," he said. "Arsenic, like bacteria and nitrate, are also on the short list of things that you really need to test for right from the get-go."
Four Seasons has been forced to test its water with the state for several years. The campground, owned by Paul Annaloro, is one of about 1,100 residential small-water communities or facilities that are monitored by the state because they provide water for large groups of people, with more than one well.
In the past, the campground used two bedrock wells to provide residents with water, but one had traces of uranium in it and was shut down. Now the second well has arsenic levels "well above what's acceptable and it needs to be addressed," according to Lucey.
The natural problem of arsenic in well water is one that grows each year.
Of the 1,100 state-monitored wells, about 175 have tested positive for high levels of arsenic, and about 65 percent have already addressed the problem.
Four Seasons will be the next that needs to address the problem.
Solutions range from digging a new well to installing home filtration devices. Campground owners will need to develop a plan for the state in the near future. Anything can make arsenic levels vary from year to year, including the amount of rainfall a particular area gets.
Shikrallah said the problem will be handled in a timely matter, although the park doesn't know which route it will go yet.
"People know (Annaloro) does whatever he can, he's diligent and all of the tenants were notified," she said. "Our obligation is to get it done as quickly as circumstances allow."
Test your water
For: Arsenic and other chemicals
Why: Can be deadly in drinking water if ingested over long periods of time
Where: N.H. Department of Environmental laboratory
How: Call 271-3139 or visit www.des.state.nh.us and click on "water"
Cost: $10 per sample; two samples recommended
