City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Safe Water Advisory Group, 3 May 2022

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From YouTube: 5.3.2022 Safe Water Advisory Group Water Forum

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5.3.2022 Safe Water Advisory Group Water Forum

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Okay, kevin as soon as we there we are well. Thank you.

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um Welcome everybody to the community water forum here at city of portsmouth. My name is brian goetz.

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I'm co-chair of the safe water advisory committee and a safe water advisory, goop, better known as.

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Swag and thanks for coming, we do have some people on on zoom as well and I'll turn over to andrea to.

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Do some introductions sure, good evening my name is andrea amiko and I'm a portsmouth resident a clean.

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Water advocate and a co-founder of the community action group called testing for peace next slide.

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I also co-chair the city of portsmouth, safe water advisory group, along with brian goetz.

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Deputy director of public works from the city of portsmouth, the swag formed in october of 2020.

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It was established by the city council and our group's mission.

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Is to review and communicate the latest science on the health and environmental.

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Health effects of pfas to monitor, federal and state level legislative changes and to.

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Anticipate policy changes that could impact the city of portsmouth. I just want to note that we do.

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Actually have a vacancy on our swag for a portsmouth resident. So if anyone is.

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Interested in potentially joining our group, just let brian and I know next slide- please.

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It is national drinking water week and the swag organized this community drinking water.

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Forum event tonight to provide our community with general education on many topics pertaining to the.

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City drinking water, we hope you will learn more about where the city water comes from.

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How it is tested, how it is protected and steps you can take to test, filter, protect and preserve your.

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Water as well drinking water is the most basic human need and it's critical. We all work together.

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To protect our drinking water coming to this forum is a good first step to expand your knowledge.

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And we look forward to you staying involved.

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I'll pass it over to brian all right well, thank you, andrea and again thanks everyone for coming.

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Here tonight, on on a nice spring spring evening, so I know a tuesday night at 6 is tough, but certainly.

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Appreciate it, there are a number of people out, so this is a hybrid meeting, so we have.

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A number of attendees that are out in zoom land so to speak, the way we're going to work this so.

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I'm sort of trying to right here coordinate, coordinate a number of things. The way this.

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Forum is going to work. We actually did a dress rehearsal of this with our safe water advisory.

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Group about a week and a half ago went pretty good because we're trying to implement a few.

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Technological uh beeps and whistles here to some degree we've got a lot of presentations and those.

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Were pre-recorded um so that we could give everybody a tour of our water systems and it's.

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Hard to do um just via powerpoint, and then we also have staff that they themselves have given you.

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Insight and we'll be able to sort of uh let you see and and and visit uh some of our facilities.

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uh We are recording this event, so I know already: there were a number of people that.

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Sent regrets we did schedule this when there wasn't anything else scheduled, but.

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Lo and behold um in a city like portsmouth, there's a lot of stuff that happens in between.

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Scheduling and now apparently there's a high school forum for uh talking seeing and meeting.

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Potential candidates for the uh the the principal. So there are a couple people that had to say sorry.

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But they were going to attend that, but again this will be recorded and available for future viewing.

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And that so tonight we will have some powerpoint uh presentations and information. uh We are gonna.

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Show some videos that are I'm gonna. Take you on a little tour, both historically.

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And also through the system, the sources of supply, the components of our water system.

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And then we're going to let everybody get involved a little bit. We have interactive polling, that'll.

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Work for both anybody here in the room that has a phone with capability of pulling up a browser.

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And also people out watching remotely will be able to so we can do some pulling and some interactive.

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Participation and then we'll move into a segment where we're going to talk a.

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Little more in depth about water quality in the system and then get into some contaminants of.

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Concern we have kim mcnamara. Our health officer is going to speak to a broader.

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uh Scope of of you know, potential contaminants that we might be dealing with in our lives.

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Holistically and then specifically, some of the ones of concern in water systems and andrea.

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As well will speak about pfas, I have a little bit of background on that and our experience.

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With that, but andrea will delve into a little more detail of that and then also provide additional.

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Resources where people, if they're further interested they can get additional.

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Information, we will then go to uh question and answer, and so for those that are on zoom.

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um We've disabled the chat for this portion of the meeting, but we will enable it um for.

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The question and answer, and the way we'll do that given covid and passing a mic around, is.

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Probably not the the most advisable thing, I think, for people to have questions here.

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You can just ask a question, I'll repeat it, and then we can work on answering and then.

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We'll we'll finish the night with some interactive polling to get a bit more feedback from everybody.

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So without further ado, we are going to have three quick videos again. Give it give you some history.

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An overview of the water systems al pratt, who is on um zoom with us al, is our water resources.

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Manager and he's available here to present he's he's recorded his segments on sources of supply.

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We have tim green. Our water operations, foreman in appease, is going to give us an overview of.

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The peas water treatment system- there are a few other members of city staff here peter rice are.

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Our directors back there in the the back row ready to uh qc the the event uh stephanie c cord.

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Is assisting me with she's our public information officer with some of the logistics here we have.

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Dan and mason back there greeting and they're our water quality specialists in source protection.

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We have jim tao, our general foreman in charge of all the distribution system and mark young.

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Who makes everything work out in madbury in our overall water supply? So with that, I will.

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Stop share here and we'll.

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Move on to the.

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Hello: everyone, my name, is ryan goetz. I'm deputy director of public works with the.

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City of portsmouth, I'd like to give you a little bit of history and overview of our.

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Water system and both in portsmouth and pete so share my screen and we will.

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Start with the basics nice little photo of the.

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Bellamy reservoir out in madbury during uh nice fall all day staff out there doing some water.

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Quality sampling analysis and an opportunity to take a photo while they're at it. So the uh the.

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City of portsmouth water system, history dates way back to the earliest days and in 1797 the.

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Portsmouth aquadoc company was formed as an act by an act of the new hampshire legislature, so.

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For years it operated under uh those auspices and in 1891 the uh city took over the system.

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And uh what you can see here are some artifacts uh look up from the earliest days of uh the water.

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System actually had wooden pipes that were hauled out and delivered water. Before we had.

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The metal pipes that are currently there when the city took over the water system, uh the water.

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Sources at the time were in the sherbert springs, the fountainhead springs and the haven springs.

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And all of these sources continue to be sources of water for the water system. Today they actually.

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Predated that 1891 takeover and sherburne is now the collins well site down head springs is where.

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The smithwell is, and the haven springs where the haven wall is and here's a map drawn up at.

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The time the city took over the system- and you can see the area between the north south mill.

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Ponds and all the piping network that existed then and many areas have been upgraded since then, but.

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Service, that's been provided ever since that time, and the city is one of the first water.

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Systems in new hampshire to meter all their customers and it's the water meter. That's.

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From 1914- and that was the time frame that the the city started to meet her everywhere,.

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And we continue to do so today if you are interested in more history of the water system,.

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And actually seeing some of these artifacts you're welcome to go to strawberry bank and and if you.

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Come to strawberry bank, they have a water hazard memory, exhibit that we've partnered with the.

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um Asked to partner by the strawberry bank um for their exhibit about sea level rise and.

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How these strawberry bank and the city is responding to that, but there's also.

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A good bit of history of the water and wastewater systems there, together with storm water.

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In the 1950s, when the pease air base came to the pease area, they took over the water sources at.

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The time and in order to replace that water they had to seek out the amount of water available to.

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Supply that and ended up building the bellamy, reservoir and three groundwater wells at the.

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Time to replace that and that water was pumped and piped over to newington and delivered throughout.

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This regional area and here's the original water treatment facility on the left and a shop from the.

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1960S of the control room and the operator at the time working in the control room, keeping.

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An eye on things and surface water treatment facility in the 1990s pease international trade.

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Board was formed and took over the pease water system and they developed a municipal agreement.

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With the city of portsmouth- and we have been operating this system since that time so.

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Overall snapshot of the regional water system, you can see the bellamy reservoir way up in madbury.

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And uh the treatment facility that then uh pumps water down through uh badbury a bit of dover a bit.

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Of durham under the bay and into newington, so we serve a good portion of newington, especially the.

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Waterfront area and all the business in the mall um we serve greenland, uh some of rye and support.

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Dry water district with some wholesale water in newcastle and the newcastle water district.

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As well, the peas, international trade port is a separate water system unto itself.

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But we also operate that and then of course, the city of portsmouth and here's, a breakdown of.

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The water supplied to these communities through our metered customer data and, as you can see about.

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76.8 percent are the combined portion of the p's customers and then the breakdown of the.

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Other communities on the right so currently the water system and and these numbers are always.

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Changing day to day due to new pipes going in and and maintenance and changes to the system.

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And customers are coming going to some degree, but uh you can see you know the pipes, the hydrants.

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We have close to 3 000 valves in the system and 8 500 customers, the peas, drink water system,.

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Has 17 miles of pipe 112 hydrants and about 130 meter customers, but these customers are.

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Much larger than just your day-to-day residential with all the business that is out at peas,.

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As many may know, if you're familiar with portsmouth, the appease.

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Pfas contamination that occurred in 2014.

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It was discovered back in may after some sampling that firefighting foam out on the air airport.

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Had uh caused contamination of wells and the haven well was shut down. The other two wells of smith.

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And the harrison were able to be maintained and some temporary treatment put on those eventually.

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Seven years later we have a full treatment system in place. There were a lot of components, a lot of.

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Work that went into that that's the whole other aspect. If you're interested there's many ways.

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To to get additional information on that and there's a the restoration advisory board for.

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Peas, that meet quarterly. That also goes through that, but in the end we built a facility after.

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Much piloting, study and design and what you can see on the left is when construction started april.

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Of 2019 and on the right when it was completed in 2021 and we're fortunate to uh share this.

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With some dedication of uh city staff um and our representatives, including senator shaheen,.

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Hassan and representative pappas last year, so the water system is maintained by our own crews,.

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And some of these shots of them doing work out in the field working on hydrants fixing.

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Some pipe on the lat lower left and then installing new pipe in the upper left.

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And they do a lot of preventative maintenance. They do hydrate, flushing, which we are just finishing.

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Up for this year may of uh 2022 customer service work, infrastructure replacement.

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And coordination with all the other work that is done by private contractors, throughout which.

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Includes lots of locating where our pipes are, so we can line them out. So nobody.

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Hits them when they do their own work, and this work is 24 7, day and night. All seasons.

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So I'm on the left, some more downtown during warmer weather, but on the right.

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Are working on a water main break that occurred in the dead of night in the hold of winter? Our.

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Team is is led by a very experienced staff, our general foreman, jim tao in the upper right.

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And uh jason beavers our water, foreman, jim siegel, our asset management coordinator in charge of our.

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Meter, crew and then lots of support staff, our gis manager for mapping a lot of administrative.

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Support and, of course, on a water billing department. So when you're, a customer of portsmouth.

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Your responsibility really starts at the curb stop, so this diagram shows you uh where our water mains.

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Are this is a kind of general layout of just about any customer? It would vary in distance.

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And location of some of these, but the components are fairly well shown, and so you have a water main.

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You have the pipeline, that is going um the service line and there's a curb stop, and that generally is.

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At the property boundary um it can be out near, uh you know a sidewalk curb that, but usually at the.

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Proper line and that's the shutoff valve and the piping beyond that is the customer's piping and so.

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Responsibility on the left side would be the city of portsmouth on the right is the customer. We do.

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Have meters that are inside located inside um and we are responsible for the meters, but the customer.

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Is responsible to make sure that it's located in a good location and will freeze and protect it in.

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That way and the metering system itself has been upgraded. Over years we went to a radio read system.

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uh Over 10 years ago now and all our meters are hooked to radio systems that we can get daily.

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Even hourly reads if necessary and they come back to our billing system and they.

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Enable us to be able to let people know, or you know, meter our customers daily, which is.

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Very helpful because we can at times notice some leaks due to leak codes and we can notify people.

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And here's our meter staff three out of the four staff members that are out there every day.

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And, as you can see, some of the data just from last year of all the amount of work they do.

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Can't say enough about our meter, crew and well our overall staff, but but certainly they are out.

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There every day and and touch touching base with our customers and, as you can see by these numbers,.

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um Very busy we also have a backflow prevention um crew that is out there every day, testing.

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What are backflow devices so basically, on the the middle screen on the left, you can see the.

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Meter and the water flows through this device and into generally larger commercial buildings.

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And water can only flow one way and to flow back. There are check valves, and this is to prevent.

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Any potential contamination that could come from the service inside a building if there were loss.

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In pressure or something like that, these devices not only have to be installed and put in there.

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But they are tested sometimes at least annually and sometimes twice annually and as you can see,.

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um Our staff is out there doing nearly 2 400 of these tests each year.

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So our system is actively planning for the future. There's a lot of questions that always come to us.

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With development in the city, you know: how are we managing that and how are we going to keep enough.

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Water in the system for the future, so, as you can see, there have been a number of big studies.

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Done and these studies have not only you know, been done- they're not just put on the shelf.

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They actually have been implemented, so I think a good portion of just about everything. That's been.

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Recommended the city has been working on and we have a capital improvement program and a budget.

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That has been ongoing and and continues, and uh you will see even on the six-year plan. There are.

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A lot of water projects still pun intended in the pipeline, uh the management of all.

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This is is done by uh our our staff, including the director and uh myself, our city engineering staff.

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It includes assistant city engineers, and we have technical support and field people and we do.

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Higher engineering consultants work on some of our bigger projects, and uh why do we need all this.

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Stuff, because in the last 20 years, as you can see by this, this summary we've done a lot of projects.

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And there are a lot of big projects totaling over 44 million dollars worth of work. But if you add.

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Some of the day-to-day work we've done we're well over 50 million dollars in the last 20 years of.

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Upgrades using have included water main replacements- this is the liquid lincoln area.

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Water main replacement, here's a here's, a upgrade to the middle street in portsmouth and that's.

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A big 24 inch line that went in down there and a map showing all these replacements in the last 20.

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20 years about 42 miles of farming and again, as I said, that continues and facility-wise some.

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Some major upgrades, both the spinney and the peas water tanks, have been replaced. Willington booster.

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Station was just recently upgraded and we have two full uh treatment facilities: the madbury and the.

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Peas, treatment facilities and we've been working on sources of supply. Upgrades of the harrison.

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Well, the bad very well, we have met very well five. Now green than well has been fully replaced and.

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We're currently working on the collins well to install a collins well, two to bring that.

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Back to its full capacity of 324 thousand gallons a day, so all this work does see some.

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Some value, as you can see from this shot when this fire occurred at the state street saloon.

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You can see there's quite a bit of water going on just in this photo, but that's only the.

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The front of the building there's also um streams of fire going uh through uh on the on the back.

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Side and all told when we checked our system data that we were upwards of 10, 000, gallons of water.

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Per minute that was delivered at peak time and almost a million gallons for that fire. So again,.

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All these upgrades do show um you know the the the improvements in the system.

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But we we've not only done that. We've we've made some major efforts to address water efficiency.

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In the city- and these are some of the highlights, including some awards that we've been given.

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Through our our efforts- and uh we also most recently- are thinking blue and that's water.

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Wastewater and storm water all together this this graphic shows the timeline of all these efforts.

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um And all the things we've done, but also how our analysis shows that we have dropped our average.

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Residential water use from about 194 gallons a day down to 150. Now this even includes multi-family, so.

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On a single family, residential home, those numbers are are even a little bit less.

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And we're happy to say that we still keep our water rebate program active. We were the first.

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Such program in new hampshire and still believe today, we are the only system, that's offering these.

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Rebates and about a thousand of them today, people can get a hundred dollars for installing a low.

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Flow toilet and 150 for a high efficiency washing machine. What is the value in that? Well, so your.

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Portsmouth has some old housing stock and a lot of those if they haven't upgraded their toilet for.

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Obvious reasons still working, an old toilet might use anywhere up to five, even more gallons of flush.

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In the 80s they did reduce them down to three and a half, but now you can get 1.6 gallons or less for.

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Her flush in all these efforts are seeing um some rewards in the the, as you can see through the.

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90S there was a progression of additional water going up and up in use, and last year we had the.

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The lowest pumpage in the last 40 years in the system and credit that to the water, efficiency.

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Efforts but also leak detection, so we've been very active with out there. We have data loggers, we have.

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Staff that are out there every day checking on leaks and when you fix the leaks, you don't.

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End up pumping water that then just gets lost back to the ground and here's a graphic.

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Showing that so this is actually the the upwards to uh showing that that we have.

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Really reduced our differential between what we pump and what we have delivered.

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So I want to thank you for this quick little overview and and certainly there's a lot more.

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Information and a lot more available to you so feel free to get a hold of city of portsmouth.com.

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And that public works and go to the water tab and you'll find a whole lot of different additional.

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Information for you so appreciate the time and we'll head on to other topics. Thank you. Yes,.

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Kevin, I guess, let's move we'll quickly go to our second and third videos and.

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Then we'll move into pulling here al pratt, who again is with us on on zoom.

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Will be giving us an overview of the supply hello, I'm al pratt, I'm the water resource manager for.

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The city of portsmouth and I'm responsible for managing the operations of the water supply.

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I'm a grade 3 water operator and a professional engineer licensed in new hampshire and as the.

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Primary certified operator for the water system, I'm responsible for ensuring that the water.

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Quality and the water capacity of the system is in compliance with state and federal requirements and.

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Meets our customers needs I'm here at the bellamy reservoir, which is the source of our surface water.

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We have a great team of certified operators in the water supply group. We have a chief plant.

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Operator a water treatment, foreman, a water quality specialist and five water treatment operators.

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They each play a critical role in ensuring the drinking water is properly treated.

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Tested and delivered to customers on the water distribution system.

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Our work starts the surface water source in madbury. The bellamy reservoir. This source provides.

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About 60 of the water that's delivered through the portsmouth water system, we're working to protect.

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Land within the bellamy reservoir watershed to safeguard its water quality for the long term.

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Water from the reservoir is treated through a dissolved air flotation and filtration water.

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Treatment plant located in madbury chlorine in the form of sodium hypochlorite is added to the water.

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At this facility we also add fluoride for dental health and phosphate for corrosion control on.

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Average about 2.7 million gallons of water are treated through the water treatment facility.

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Each day, water is also pumped into the water distribution system from four wells located on.

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This property in madbury, all of this water is pumped to newington to the new england booster.

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Pumping station here the water passes through a one and a half million gallon storage tank.

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Chlorine is added and the water is pumped into the city and surrounding towns.

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There are also two groundwater supplies in portsmouth and one well in greenland that supply.

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Water directly into the water distribution system, the pressure in the water system is.

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Maintained by two water storage tanks, there's the spinney road, 1 million gallon storage tank.

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And the 7.5 million gallon storage tank located on constitution avenue the demand for water.

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Varies throughout the year with high summer demands peaking around 6 million gallons a day.

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This is primarily due to irrigation demands in the summer.

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Our average daily demand in the portsmouth system is around 3.8 million gallons per day.

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Our water treatment group is constantly monitoring the supply system and making adjustments to.

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Treatment and pumping equipment to ensure the water quality and water pressures are consistent.

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And in compliance with all regulatory rules and internal operational specifications.

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One more quick video with the featuring tim will take us on a little tour of our brand new.

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Peas, water treatment facility.

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Hello located at 97 grafton drive in portsmouth is the peas water treatment plant constructed.

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From 2019 to 2021 peas, water treatment plant has a maximum capacity of 1200 gallons per.

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Minute and serves the entirety of peace, trade port in a portion of the town of newington.

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Hi, I'm tim green, I'm the water operations, foreman for the city of portsmouth, I'm a certified new.

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Hampshire grade four operator, as well as the primary operator for peace, trade, port water system.

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Asset water operations, foreman I'm responsible for monitoring and optimizing plant performance.

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As well as providing safe quality drinking water for portsmouth and peas, trade ports, water systems.

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Peas, water treatment plant is supplied by three groundwater wells, harrison well, smithwell and.

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Havenwell pea's water treatment plant was designed to treat for per and poly floral alkyl substances.

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Also known as pifas pifas are removed as water passes through 12 filters that are equipped with.

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A specific type of media called resin prior to the resin filters water passes through one of four.

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Cartridge filters, these cartridge filters capture any suspended solids that may be in the water.

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Capturing these suspended solids at the beginning of the treatment process.

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Minimizes the possibility of fouling or blockage of the resin filters.

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After the resin filters, water is filtered a third time through one of three granular.

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Activated carbon or gac filters, these gac filters are the final polishing filters.

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And would capture any regulated, pfiz compounds in the event of breakthrough from the resin filters.

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As water exits the gac filters it is injected with chlorine for disinfection phosphate for.

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Corrosion control and fluoride for dental health after chemical addition, the treatment process, is.

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Complete and water enters the distribution system to be used by the public pea's water treatment.

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Plant is outfitted with inline and bench top analyzers that continually measure water quality.

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Parameters, finally, the control room at pea's water treatment plant contains two scada computers.

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Which give operators remote access to data in supervisory control? Thank you in think. Blue.

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Well done tim, that's tim over there and and al. Thank you uh good job with that.

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So right now we're gonna move into the little bit of our interactive portion. So everybody out there.

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In zoom, land you'll be able to participate by getting your cell phone out browser. But what.

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What everyone, let's see, let me this is where the fun really gets going so.

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If you go to, um let me share this screen.

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Here we go so if everyone can go to.

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Sli dot d o at slido.com or s-l-I-d-o. So you, you should see a screen that looks like this.

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Give everybody a minute: do I see some heads heads nodding or all some of our.

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Safe water advisor group had a test run of this a week and a half ago, so they they got.

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A leg up on everybody here so now, you'll want to enter this code. Three three, three, seven, one, nine.

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So now you get the chance to interact and.

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Participate, I'm I'm going to be able to well. That was quick. Look at that. We have 13 15 people have.

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Answered already 16., this is the you're. There was no uh up start for this group at all. How many of.

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You done this beside the swag, how many people out there have done this before. This is great.

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So we have 20 people, so the only thing that I I've, I'm still learning how to do this, the only.

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Thing I didn't figure out is: how do I make the answers? Go live without having to vote myself.

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So this is not scientific, so I have some bias here. So if, if things get tilted a little bit in.

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Favor of the water system, I'll take the blame, but you'll see what my answers are so.

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I do happen to be a water customer. I've been a customer of this water system for a year and.

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To be honest, I have not been a customer of a water system. I've managed, since I first started.

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In indiana in 1987., so it's kind of great, though all the years I was here, I drank water when I was.

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Working in town so um and then um I get to uh use my ipad to let everybody see the response, so we've.

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Got 78 percent our our customers and 22 percent? Aren't we do have some people in zoom land so.

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Question number two: coming up this one's multiple choice, you only get to pick one.

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Taking a little longer, people have to think about this one all right again, I get to sway things a little bit.

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And see how that comes out. Oh tap waters um hang on. I have to move stuff out of the way here.

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There we go and uh looks like tap. Water is a winter followed by coffee and some bottled water.

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Again, this is fresh out of the tap made today. So, yes, I do drink water out of the tab.

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How are we doing on this one always sometimes never only five percent there we go.

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Next up questions about filtering so the craft. That would be what you know a container. You fill.

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That has a filter in it so and then various different types of filters that people might.

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Have a little bit juggling out of here, so we do have 27 percent that do the under sink, but.

A

45 that are no and some crafts, some refrigerator and nine percent with the whole house filter. So.

A

I think we should all get 100. Maybe I should have.

A

Led by that one, that's the easy one, but this one. The follow-up is a bit more.

A

Might take a little more thought.

A

Well, we've got a pretty educated group out here so and we do have david muse who's on our.

A

Swag he's also a representative represented in portsmouth that.

A

The legislature and- and he has has brought this point forward through some potential legislation.

A

To try to actually make bottled water have to test the same as public drinking water, because.

A

Currently it varies so there are some standards that bottled water has to meet, but they don't.

A

Have to meet all the standards that tap water does a couple more to go now this one.

A

This one, you can pick more than one.

A

And I just put those alphabetically, but these are actually.

A

Really the especially new hampshire: these are the top contaminants of concern.

A

All right, so we've got.

A

Our answers come out on this 73 percent lead and, of course, you can see, since people can.

A

Do multiple answers they continue to come in. Pfas is a close behind lead in concern and.

A

Actually, we'll have a bit more focus here in just a little bit talking about those two.

A

Contaminants, arsenic- I won't give too much away, but you know we're fortunate in portsmouth new.

A

Hampshire itself has quite a a lot of arsenic, that's in mostly private wells. So if you have.

A

A deep bedrock well and you're in an area that has a lot of natural arsenic. You may have some.

A

High arsenic in your in your well we're fortunate. Our sources of supply do not contain much.

A

Arsenic, so we're in pretty good shape there and, of course, bacteria. We take care of with.

A

Our chlorination, and radon too is is not um that big, an issue with us. um It is more again for deep.

A

Bedrock, groundwater. So the last question this one: this one will allow you to be a little.

A

A

There we go all right so so now this one, this one's kind of free form. So this.

A

This one allows you to just I'm noticing staff's, not participating. What's the deal.

A

You guys, you didn't follow my directions to to. You know answer your smile and maybe you are answering.

A

Tim, so um this one, you you you can uh put put whatever you. uh You know we're looking for for.

A

Where do you get your information about drinking water and go ahead and just put that and if you.

A

Have a couple places where you get your info from, you can put it in twice you put in three times.

A

So I'm just going to say I get my information from al mark and mason and tim.

A

Let's have a look look at that city website, this great annual water quality report quickly behind.

A

But if people are continuing to answer, you can see how they can get bigger, bigger and smaller.

A

And move around a bit, so this is really good good group here we've got some social media, private.

A

Well: testing staff, the consumer confidence report des showing up um city of portsmouth.

A

Dpw and uh that consumer confidence report so anyway, this is great, so uh we're we're gonna.

A

Finish that segment of.

A

Of the uh the night and move into just a couple, more videos, and and our our intent here is to.

A

Get a little more uh give everybody a little more information on the water quality. So that's.

A

Why some of these questions you know? Do we test the water that um like to ask up front because.

A

Now perhaps we'll be able to answer some questions you might have by giving you.

A

A little more information on what we do as far as water quality testing analysis.

A

And then again, andrew and kim are going to delve into a few more detailed contaminants. So.

A

Let me uh got two videos here: here's mason our water quality specialist, giving you an overview of.

A

Water quality parameters.

D

Hello, this is mesa caceres and I'm the water quality analyst for the city of portsmouth.

D

I'm responsible for monitoring water quality parameters before, during and after treatment.

D

To meet state and federal regulations and compliance requirements, I collect and analyze.

D

Water samples throughout the portsmouth drinking water system, as well as the peace, trade, port, water.

D

System I maintain the manbury water treatment, plant, laboratory and all of our in-situ water.

D

Quality monitors deployed throughout the facility and groundwater source locations when necessary. I.

D

Respond to customers calls and help diagnose their water quality concerns through in-house analyses.

D

And investigation reports- most importantly, it is my duty to manage and maintain drinking water data.

D

And annual water quality reports, this data is imperative when assessing the physical chemical.

D

And biological properties of this invaluable natural resource potential, contaminants that could.

D

Have an effect on the health and well-being of consumers are accurately tracked, using a variety.

D

Of analysis methods here in the madbury laboratory, we are able to quantify concentrations of.

D

Naturally, occurring contaminants and common water quality characteristics using benchtop, analyzers.

D

Colorimeters help us test for iron, manganese phosphorus and chlorine, just to name a few.

D

Spectrophotometers help us test for turbidity and uv-254, which are direct measures of the cloudiness.

D

Of sample water with respect to organic matter, electrodes are used for ph alkalinity and fluoride.

D

Readings in order to fine-tune chemical additions being made throughout the treatment process.

D

With these in-house analyses and the recorded data that comes of them.

D

We are able to paint a detailed picture of the water quality before and after treatment.

D

And therefore make adjustments to optimize the removal of potentially harmful constituents.

D

We also contract with accredited labs to test for volatile organics.

D

Synthetic organics inorganic compounds such as metals and bacteria, under rules and regulations.

D

Set forth by new hampshire's department of environmental services, information about our.

D

Water quality testing is available on the city's website under the public works water section.

D

I am also available by phone or email for anyone that wants to know more about their water quality.

A

Well done and there's there's mason back there good job, mason.

A

So and now al to uh give us a bit more insight of.

A

Some of the uh water quality testing and and the reporting that is required of our water systems.

C

I'm al pratt the portsmouth water resource manager- and this is a brief overview of the portsmouth.

C

Drinking water quality and what the water division is doing to protect and test the water.

C

And provide information to customers about the water quality. To begin, I'm going to talk about.

C

What we're doing to manage and treat our water sources then I'll go over the testing. That's.

C

Done to ensure the water meets all state and federal quality standards, then I'll provide.

C

Some information about our reports and how you can learn more about your water quality.

C

You can think of the management of the water quality in three categories. First,.

C

Source protection, how are we looking forward to protect ourselves from potential contaminant risks.

C

Then, how management of our reservoir can affect the quality of the water and finally, how we.

C

Optimize our treatment systems to make sure we're producing high quality drinking water.

C

Managing the quality of drinking water begins in the watershed and wellhead protection areas of our.

C

Sources of supply, wellhead protection areas are those areas where rain infiltrates into the ground.

C

And recharges, the aquifer from which our supply wells withdraw water.

C

This is the greenland well and its wellhead protection area.

C

And watersheds are the land areas that drain to a surface water feature like our bellamy.

C

Reservoir, it's important for us to know what activities are occurring within these wellhead.

C

And watershed protection areas that could potentially affect the water quality and where.

C

Possible monitor and manage these activities to minimize their risk to the water supply.

C

The bellamy reservoir, like any surface water feature, is very dynamic. Nutrients feed, algal.

C

Growth, which becomes an organic load that, in turn, depletes the oxygen concentrations in the water.

C

Certain tastes in the water can begin here with the production of chemicals from.

C

Algae and bacteria that even at extremely low concentrations, can impart a taste to the water.

C

We actively manage the water quality dynamics of the reservoir in the summertime.

C

Through air diffusers and a system that partitions areas in the reservoir, this approach helps to.

C

Reduce algal growth and minimizes, the dissolution of metals and nutrients from the sediments.

C

Finally, the water quality is managed through the optimization of our surface water treatment.

C

Process to ensure organics and minerals are effectively removed and pathogens are.

C

Sufficiently deactivated chemicals are added to ensure the water that's delivered into the system.

C

Maintains required chlorine residual and has characteristics that minimize corrosion potential.

C

The drinking water is routinely tested. This is a list of 10 categories of potential contaminants.

C

That we test for the drinking water compliance regulations vary for each of these parameters.

C

Some contaminants are tested from the sources such as volatile and synthetic organics.

C

While others like bacteria and lead that are tested throughout the water distribution system,.

C

The way compliance is determined also varies for these contaminants, where some are based.

C

On individual sample results and others on annual rolling averages or system-wide statistical values,.

C

This is the list of parameters that are analyzed for not all of these have drinking water limits.

C

But are measured by the analytical method used for the specific category of chemical.

C

So we have records for all these parameters, the majority of which are not detected in the water.

C

There are varying frequencies and locations for the water quality testing, for example,.

C

Bacteria are tested from 15 sites around the city twice a month. Pfas are sampled from the.

C

Wells and treatment plant every quarter and vocs and socs are sampled every year from the sources.

C

Samples that water division staff collect are all submitted and analyzed by new hampshire, accredited.

C

Laboratories, the state accreditation program requires laboratories to use the epa methods.

C

That are specified for each parameter under the drinking water quality regulations.

C

The laboratories are required to submit the analytical results directly to the new hampshire.

C

Department of environmental services for their determination and documentation of compliance.

C

If there are any results that exceed epa or state standards,.

C

We are notified immediately. All of these results are maintained on the des data.

C

Portal called one stop. These data are available for the public to download.

C

And the water division maintains all of these records in our water quality database.

C

If water quality results that were ever measured in exceedance of state or federal requirements, the.

C

Customers would be notified. This is a list of methods of notification that we could use for.

C

Getting the message out from mailings to text to the city website and the city newsletter.

C

Notification requirements vary depending upon the parameter that was in violation.

C

The standardized notifications required by the state identify.

C

The contaminant, its measured or calculated concentration,.

C

What the potential health risks are and what you can or should do in response to the violation.

C

Every year we compile all of the water quality sampling results.

C

And summarize them in our annual water quality report. These reports are also referred to as.

C

Consumer confidence reports by the epa and are mailed to customers by july 1st each year.

C

They are intended to provide customers with information about the sources of water.

C

Water treatment processes and other important system information.

C

There are summary tables of water quality data. We do not include the parameters that.

C

Had no detection, only the parameters that had quantified results are included in these tables.

C

These annual reports are all available on the city's website under public works, water section.

C

Under the quality and status page.

C

The water division also prepares water supply status reports. These are issued at least quarterly.

C

And more often, if water conditions are such that water use, restrictions may be required.

C

The status reports evaluate a number of criteria and environmental conditions that affect the.

C

Water supply these include precipitation records and trends. Groundwater levels.

C

Reservoir levels and quality conditions, stream flow, water demand and source production capacity.

C

By assessing these conditions, along with the state's assessment of drought conditions,.

C

We evaluate whether water use restrictions need to be put in place.

C

All of these status reports are also available on the city's website on the water supply status. Page.

C

And the most direct way of learning about your water quality or, if you have any specific water.

C

Quality issues or concerns, please contact our water quality, specialist, mason, caceres or me.

C

Al pratt at these numbers or emails, we also can be contacted through the city's click and fix.

C

App or click and fix form on the city's website. I hope this helped with your understanding of.

C

What the city is doing to manage test and report on the portsmouth water quality.

A

Thank you. Al al's out there in zoo land he's muted, but we can bring him in if.

A

We have specific questions right now, we're going to get into some more specific information about.

A

Contaminants and I'm going to turn it over to to kim mcnamara our health officer to begin.

A

I got to go me, get to your slides, kim.

A

And here you come from current.

A

There we go. Thank you, I'm going to start by speaking about lead, which we've heard a bit about.

E

Tonight but um lead was identified as an element at some point before 1662, but it's been used by.

E

Man since ancient times, and as man has done since ancient times, it was used in ways that can harm us.

E

Before any understanding of this harm was gained and four centuries later, we still.

E

Knew business the same way next slide. Please a letter is a common environmental contaminant.

E

Sources of lead include paint. That's found in houses built prior to 1978 contaminated soil.

E

And in water lines or connections to the homes built before 1986 when lead solder was banned.

E

Even in small amounts, lead is highly toxic and affects virtually every system of the body.

E

Lead is particularly dangerous to children, because their growing bodies absorb more lead than adults.

E

Do and their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects. Even.

E

Low levels of blood of lead and blood of children can result in lifelong irreversible outcomes. Such.

E

As behavior and learning difficulties, lower iq and hyperactivity slowed growth speech.

E

And language delays, anemia even seizures coma and, in rare cases, death, pregnant and nursing.

E

Women are also at risk and when they're exposed, they can pass that lead on to their developing.

E

Babies and nursing mothers can as well and effects to the to the infants um and fetuses include.

E

Miscarriage premature birth, underweight and brain kidney and nervous system damage, but lead.

E

Poisoning is a hundred percent preventable. However, nearly a million children in the united states.

E

Have blood lead levels high enough to impair their ability to learn, concentrate and new hampshire has.

E

The oldest housing of anywhere in the united states, with 62 percent of its homes, built.

E

Before lead-based paint was banned in 1978 in portsmouth, we have 5044 residential buildings on.

E

The tax rolls that were built 1978 or earlier, and many of these are multi-unit. uh This number grows.

E

When you have the homes built from 1978 to 1986 when lead solder and plumbing was banned, so this.

E

Is significant housing stock with potential lead risks and in 2020, 42, 057 uh or 50 of new hampshire.

E

Children, six years or younger, resided in housing units built before the 78 ban on lead and in.

E

Thousand 2020 hundred and eight fewer new hampshire children had blood lead level tests than.

E

In 2019, due to the covert pandemic, this represents a 14 percent drop in the state's pediatric lead.

E

Level, and uh the concern here is that elevated lead levels are not being detected in children.

E

And many of those children have spent the last two years in these homes next slide. Please.

E

So one in three parents of children with blood lead levels greater than.

E

Five micrograms per deciliter of blood, which is the uh the level of concern.

E

Report that renovations had taken place in their home within the last six months to that blood test.

E

According to the american academy of pediatrics, one in five attention deficit disorder cases.

E

Were attributed to lead exposure and it only takes a a speck of lead dust. The size.

E

Of a grain of salt, as you can see, on the tip of this finger to poison a child next slide, please.

E

Lead is rarely found in water before it enters your home, but the plumbing in your.

E

Home could be contributing to lead to the water that you drink, lead, pipes and brass.

E

Plumbing fixtures, with copper, pipe soldered with lead can release lead into the water.

E

Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have these fixtures as that's when.

E

The solder was banned, remember the age of most of our or much of our housing stock and even if homes.

E

Were completely renovated on the upper levels and underwent lead abatement or lead encapsulation.

E

You must still worry about the plumbing coming into the home behind the walls.

E

Next slide, please so sources of lead and drinking water in your home. You could have copper pipe.

E

With lead solder, again solder, made or installed before 86 contained high lead levels, your lead.

E

Service lines that run from the water main to the mains internal plumbing could be another source.

E

Fixtures inside your home may contain lead and galvanized pipes lead particles can attach to the.

E

Surface of galvanized pipes and then enter your drinking water and then the lead goosenecks, which.

E

We saw on an earlier slide are shorter pipes that connect the lead service line to the main.

E

Next slide, please, what do does lead pipe look like well, you can see the lower half of the first.

E

Picture here you have that sort of bulbous, looking very light gray dull pipe lead pipes can often.

E

Be, or are often very dull, gray, they're also soft and can be scratched, as you can see, on the right.

E

And surrounding this water meter, you have the same types of uh pipes on either side.

E

So lead solder was also used in service connectors to household plumbing. If I, if the lead pipe or.

E

Pipe is ex, I'm sorry suspected to be lead. um It should be replaced immediately. Do not use that.

E

Water for consumption or for making baby formula and the only way to really.

E

Be 100 sure of what levels of letter in your waters to get it tested next, one.

E

But lead is not the only contaminant commercial chemicals surround us every day, they're in our air.

E

Water, soil and food they're in our homes and our workplaces and they're in us.

E

They're found in even the most remote areas of the planet and in the everyday products that.

E

We choose to buy and consume on a daily basis, such as household cleaners, personal products.

E

Cosmetics, food containers, toys furniture and clothing, there's over eighty thousand register.

E

Registered chemicals in use and greater than sixty thousand of these have never been safety tested.

E

But were allowed to be produced, marketed and distributed. Many were developed for.

E

Military and industrial use but found their way into our everyday home use. Next, please.

E

So, having recognized the growing evidence that many of these chemicals pose serious risk to.

E

Human health: there has been a legislative attempt to begin the process of addressing.

E

This issue, but it's in its infancy and it is far too slow process. The frank, r, lautenberg chemical.

E

Safety for the 21st century act was passed in 2016, which, in this act amended the toxic.

E

Substance control act and it began to require risk evaluations for these chemicals.

E

However, there's only a requirement for risk evaluations to be conducted on 20 chemicals.

E

At every given time, these studies can take up to seven years by law and after concluding a chemical.

E

Poses a risk to the public health, the industry still has five years to comply with safety rules.

E

That are a result of these studies shown here is the 2021 annual plan for risk evaluations, notice.

E

Here that in the first column, the risk evaluation began for these first eight chemicals in 2016.

E

The risk evaluations were completed four years later in 2020. This is an excl exceedingly slow.

E

Process and cannot be the solution to this chemical suit problem next slide. Please.

E

So this does feel like an overwhelming problem and it feels impossible to solve.

E

And left up to this frank r, lautenberg act alone, it is but thankfully there are millions of people.

E

Who are aware and concerned about these issues and there is much work going on to.

E

Address environmental public health across the globe by non-governmental bodies and.

E

Academic centers- these are just three of many resources to illustrate the different types of.

E

Responses that are occurring by different groups of various levels- the net, the national national.

E

Resources, defense council, I think that's natural resources, defense council,.

E

The mission is to safeguard the earth, its people, plants and animals and the natural systems which.

E

All life depends on so that's a very global organization, the environmental working group, their.

E

Their mission is to empower you with breakthrough research, to make informed choices and live a.

E

Healthy life in a healthy environment, and then the silent spring institute is another example.

E

And their statement is that they prevent cancers by reducing people's exposure.

E

To harmful chemicals, where they live, work and play, so you can see these groups work on different.

E

Levels but all sort of in the same realm, of the the chemical contamination that we face.

E

So, even beyond these organized approaches, there's much that you can do to protect yourself. The.

E

Environment and our groundwater immediately first reduce the purchase and consumption of unnecessary.

E

Chemicals and products use natural cleaners and products which tend to be less toxic and break.

E

Down in the environment more easily and purchase only small quantities, so there is less waste.

E

If you have a septic system and you have blue toilet bowl cleaner, you are just flushing that.

E

Out into your ground water table, if you are on a sewer system, many chemicals that go through our.

E

Treatment plants simply get flushed out to sea so reduce those chemicals. This discussion will.

E

Include landfills and superfund sites, which are a real concern. However, it's absolutely vital that.

E

We understand that every one of us who engages in daily life purchasing products and services.

E

Has responsibility for these chemicals if we were not consumers, these chemicals wouldn't be.

E

On the market- and there wouldn't be the need for landfills once you have made the decision.

E

To purchase industrial chemicals, however, protect the environment by avoiding storing these things.

E

Where flooding can mingle with chemicals, that's how we get it out into our environment.

E

That's how we get it into our groundwater and where we want to grow our vegetables.

E

And do not use toxics outside that are discharged onto the ground or into storm drains.

E

During activities such as a car washing at home or cleaning paint brushes or allowing oil.

E

And antifreeze to drip onto the ground and, very importantly, dispose of properly.

E

Which brings us to household hazardous waste day. The next household hazardous waste day is going.

E

To be held, saturday may 21st from 8 to noon at the portsmouth recycling center on beverly hill road.

E

And this is open to residents of portsmouth, greenland and newington with proof of residency.

E

And household hazardous waste is any leftover or unused household product.

E

That contains potentially hazardous materials such as toxic chemicals that we often use in.

E

Our everyday lives, this can include anything from paints, cleaners and oils to batteries, electronics,.

E

And pesticides correct me: if I'm wrong on that brian and it is illegal to dump household.

E

Hazardous waste into the garbage down drains or onto the ground, since it can leach into the.

E

Ground water, create air pollution or contaminate the food we eat. Instead, products that contain.

E

Hazardous ingredients will require special care when disposed of, in order to avoid any potential.

E

Risks but the best way to avoid environmental contamination and potential health effects.

E

Is for your household to reduce the use of these chemicals? Thank you.

B

Thanks kim um so another major contaminant of concern that has impacted the city in.

B

Many locations are pfas. Pfas stands for purin polyfloral alkyl substances. They are a large.

B

Class of man-made chemicals used for a variety of purposes. Pfas are often referred to as forever.

B

Chemicals because they are made up of very strong carbon fluorine bonds, causing the chemicals to not.

B

Break down next slide, please pfas have many useful properties and are found in a variety of everyday.

B

Products such as non-stick, cookware, firefighting, foam, fast food packaging, weatherproof clothing,.

B

Stain resistant products, carpets, furniture, dental floss and more because of their widespread use in.

B

Consumer products, 99 of americans have some detectable levels of pfas in their blood.

B

We are concerned about pfas, given the persistent nature of the chemicals.

B

Causing them to bio, accumulate or build up in humans, animals in the environment and pfas have.

B

Been associated with multiple adverse health effects that impact multiple systems of the.

B

Human body, such as different types of cancer, high cholesterol, immune suppression or less effective.

B

Vaccines thyroid disorders, high blood pressure during pregnancy and low birth weight in babies.

B

Pfas first became known to our city when, in 2014 high levels of pfas were discovered in.

B

The drinking water at the peas, trade port, the haven well, was shut down from 2014 to 2021.

B

The other two drinking water wells at peas have low levels of pfas and have not been shut down.

B

Thousands of people were exposed to high levels of pfas contamination at peas,.

B

And the air force has spent millions of dollars on remediation and filtration of the drinking.

B

Water supplied by the three wells at peas, the current p fast levels in the drinking.

B

Water, after it is filtered, is non-detected peas and there are pfas health studies underway for.

B

The peas community to better understand the health impacts of this significant exposure.

B

Another site known for pfas in the area is the coakley landfill.

B

A former dump and superfund current superfund site located in northampton.

B

In 2016, pfas and 1-4 dioxane were detective and detected in groundwater at coakley pfas.

B

Were also detected in berries brook in greenland and rye contamination from coakley.

B

Has migrated to private drinking water wells in greenland, causing the coakley landfill group.

B

Overseen by the city of portsmouth to pay for filtration systems and bottled water for some.

B

Of the residents with private wells impacted by this contamination, there is no active remediation.

B

Or filtration at coakley landfill to stop the spread of the contamination at this time.

B

The toll and load the tolland road landfill is a superfund site located in dover, adjacent to.

B

The bellamy reservoir, which we just learned, is the city's largest drinking water supply.

B

Pfas 1 4, dioxane and various volatile organics are present in the groundwater around the landfill.

B

The dover group and their consultant are monitoring groundwater quality.

B

And operating a groundwater mitigation system, the u.s epa and new hampshire des are overseeing.

B

The remediation activities at this site, given the landfill's close proximity to the city's largest.

B

Drinking water source, the city and the dover group monitor the levels closely for any migration.

B

And given all this talk about pfas at various sites in the community, you may be asking if.

B

There is pfas in the city drinking water, coming out of your taps, many source, water and tap water.

B

Samples have been collected and tested throughout the city for pfas over the last several years.

B

11 pfas have been detected in the city water at total, combined levels ranging from 6 parts.

B

Per trillion to 29 parts per trillion based on source averages since january of 2019.

B

The pfas with state and federal guidelines have been within the acceptable limit.

B

But many of the pfas detected in the city, water supply have no federal or state guidelines.

B

Next slide, new hampshire des has been proactive in sampling many sites for pfas throughout the state.

B

In addition to the few examples of known pfas sites pertinent to the drinking water.

B

For the city that I just reviewed, this map also demonstrates other sites in the city of.

B

Portsmouth with detectable levels of pfas in the ground, water and the public water supply.

A

Thank you, andrea. So one thing as we were talking as a group, the safeway advisor.

A

Group is recommended that we talk a little bit about if people want to go another step.

A

Themselves uh to have some treatment or testing, so I I'm gonna have one final video here that.

A

Again, uh thanks to al he's prepared for us that is going to give you an overview of of those options.

C

I know many customers have additional treatment systems or are considering treatment, options and.

C

I'd like to provide a little information for you to consider here. First understand that the.

C

Portsmouth drinking water meets all state and federal drinking water requirements. We receive.

C

Calls from customers that are often related to sporadic discoloration of the water and usually by.

C

Flushing cold water through the house or apartment that takes care of these occasional issues.

C

That are primarily primarily associated with plumbing or disturbances in the distribution.

C

System, but if you're considering additional treatment for your water, you really first need.

C

To be clear about what it is that you're trying to address, is it taste or odor many people dislike.

C

The taste of chlorinated water is it hardness. Our wells in portsmouth have a higher level of.

C

Calcium, which may cause some scaling on fixtures and hot water tanks over time are there specific.

C

Chemicals that you're concerned about or sensitive to, we have occasional calls from people that are.

C

Concerned about fluoride and want to remove it from their water and lead is a big concern.

C

Anyone that has plumbing installed before 1986 should test for lead if removal of the source.

C

Of lead is not an option, then treatment should be used to remove it from the water you drink.

C

And, depending on what it is you treat, you should understand how you should treat it if the concern.

C

Is only associated with consumption of the water, then a point of use treatment system should be.

C

Considered if the issue is causing concerns beyond consumption, a whole house treatment could be.

C

Considered in either case, you need to understand that all treatment systems require maintenance.

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So you should learn about that before making the investment, especially in the case of whole house,.

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Systems or large plumbed in systems, there are many options for treatment, but you need to understand.

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What you want to remove to know what type of treatment method is appropriate, granular.

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Activated carbon filters are good for removing taste and odor issues like those from chlorine.

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Reverse osmosis works for removing just about everything, but could cause corrosion.

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In your plumbing system, ion exchange systems can remove specific compounds.

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Such as calcium and iron, but they require frequent regeneration, operations and maintenance.

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Other advanced treatment technologies such as oxidation and ozonation are also available, but.

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Not typical for water that already meets water quality standards, manufactured treatment systems.

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uh Water treatment, filtration media and water treatment equipment are certified.

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By nsf or the national sanitation foundation and ansi american national standards institute.

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For each system, they are certified for a specific contaminant. They claim to remove, for example, if.

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You buy a filter to remove lead, make sure the nsf ansi certification notes that it's.

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Certified to remove lead for whole house systems and systems that require plumbing really anything.

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That's not a faucet type, filter picture type filter or like a flow-through, countertop filter.

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They should really be designed and installed by a professional water treatment company.

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Understand how the system is going to affect your water pressure know that it will take what it will.

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Take to maintain the system ensure that it's designed for the flow rate, that's really needed.

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For your house and understand, some systems like ro cause significant amount of reject or wastewater.

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The removal of pfas from homeowner apartment scale user has uh typically involved a relatively large.

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Scale granular activated carbon system. There may be advances in some filtration media that will.

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Allow for smaller systems, but I don't believe they are yet on the market and as a municipal, water.

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Supplier, we cannot recommend treatment systems or companies specifically, but we'd be glad to talk to.

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You about your concerns and provide any additional water quality information that could help you.

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I also want to bring up options for water quality testing. I strongly recommend testing.

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The water in your house for lead, since that is a contaminant that primarily sources, are within.

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Plumbing within houses, there are many labs in new england. I've listed them here. These are all the.

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Accredited labs in new england sorted by state you'll, see the new hampshire labs on the top here.

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Each of these labs can analyze it for drinking water parameters.

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So I've listed them here. This is also located on the city's website under the water page.

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Looking for more information on laboratories, so I hope this helps. Thank you.

A

Yeah up you here, andrea.

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Thanks all right, we're in the home stretch everybody. So thanks for being with us.

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um There's many ways to get involved at the local and state level. At the city level, the swag meets.

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Quarterly at city hall and our meetings are open to the public and also video video recorded and.

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Put on the city's youtube channel and website, as I mentioned at the start of our meeting, we.

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Do have a vacancy for a portsmouth resident to join our group. So please let brian- and I know if.

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That's something that interests you, the peas, trade port has many groups that meet routinely, such as.

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The restoration advisory board or the rab these meetings with the or with the air force, and they.

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Primarily, focus on remediation and cleaning up of the environment, the community assistance panel or.

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Cap meets three times a year with the federal health agency for toxic substances and disease.

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Registry or atsdr, the primary focus of these meetings have been answering the health questions.

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Of the community exposed to pfas and conducting a health study to learn more there's also the pfas.

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Reach study, which is actively recruiting p's community members. I have a separate slide at.

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The end with a little more detail on that and at the state level there's the drinking water.

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And groundwater advisory commission and they meet quarterly to discuss a variety of topics.

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In addition to attending the various meetings we just talked about, there are many ways to.

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Stay informed on drinking water such as social media websites, newsletters and local advocacy.

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Groups, the city of portsmouth, has a newsletter you can subscribe to and the portsmouth dpw.

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Has a twitter page, there are many websites you can visit, such as the city of portsmouth dpw website,.

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The new hampshire des drinking water website, the epa website, as well as the pfas exchange and the.

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Environmental working group website there are also many local state and national community advocacy.

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Groups you can find online and on social media, such as testing for peas, the new hampshire, safe.

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Water alliance and the national pfas contamination coalition next slide. I just wanted to take a.

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Moment, as I said, to highlight a pfas health study actively recruiting peace community members, this.

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Study is specifically recruiting children who are now between the ages of three and eight years old.

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And they and or their moms drink water at the peas trade port before may of 2014.. So if you know of.

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Anyone or you may be eligible for the study. Please share this information with them and then, lastly,.

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I just put together a group- this certainly isn't comprehensive, but a high level list of multiple.

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Websites where you can find more information based on the city, state and federal level,.

A

Great, thank you andrea. So uh at this point we do have some polling that that we'll do.

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um At the end of the meeting, but we thought we'd open it up to questions and the way.

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We'll do this is: if there are people in the room, they have a question, they can ask a question and.

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I'll I'll repeat I'll repeat it, we do have a handheld mic, but given covid and everything.

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Passing the mic around is probably not not the the best and uh we might get a little slap on.

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The hand from our health officer from doing that so so anyway, and and we'll speak up, we can we.

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Can hear um for everybody out in zoom land we've got uh attendees out there. I can activate the.

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The the attendees out in zoom can ask questions through the chat, so I've and.

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Activated that so, if there are some questions, I can moderate those through chat.

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And just kind of open it up right now there any questions here in the room or in.

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Those on chat boy, we answered all your questions already. We provided you, the info, you needed.

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All happy: well, that's that's nice and in one respect I guess and I'm not seeing anybody.

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On the chat, um I guess what we could do, we could go to polling and then we could see.

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At the end here, if there's any more questions, people had fun the first round of polling, so.

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The the second round gets a little tougher for us, but um I think is uh itself going to be.

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Useful for us in the safe water advisory group, as we proceed to seeing what we.

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Want to do for our our our next meeting, so this this poll so go back to slido again.

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And on this one you're going to enter four seven: zero, zero, seven two.

A

A

I'm sorry I didn't share screen on that. One.

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Four: seven: zero: zero; seven, two.

A

A

Hold up everybody get that um I'm gonna I'll start over again, just like I did before.

A

A

Thank you, jim. Oh, we got answers already. We have 15 answers so.

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I myself even as much as I've seen I did, learn something myself here so.

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Kim's information was very helpful, so everybody learned some info. That was great.

A

A

People thinking about this one a little bit more.

A

A

So it looks like we have a few that are going to do additional testing and 11 say they will filter.

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Next question on water conservation, protecting drinking water.

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This one, you can provide multiple answers on this one.

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Now we do every we're going to get good participation at the next household ahead.

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Of this waste day, that's great some people are already doing the steps. So here's where.

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All of us presenting get put on the spot a little bit and also the the water suppliers.

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I don't know if tim and mark get a vote on this one.

D

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So here's here's one definitely for us here was the forum useful.

A

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Thank you on that, and would you like to attend additional meetings.

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In the future, on drinking water or other environmental topics that pertain to the city.

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So lots of yeses and a few maybes, so that's great.

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I appreciate that and slido was successful. I I was most nervous about the slido part.

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I want to use the word clouds a little more, but that.

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You I need to know how to moderate things away there. There is a thing that you know.

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People can't say nasty things, but um it could get out of control. I guess so.

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Anyway, I'll like we could reopen it for any further questions or comments, and, yes.

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uh If the question uh from counselor blaylock was, uh who do you contact? um Well, you know: we've got.

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um Certainly called dpw and our our water division staff. You can call us on night and day, we've got.

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If there's an immediate issue with your water, you can call dispatch we'll we, we always have 24 7.

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Coverage so there's always somebody to respond immediately if there's immediate concern, but.

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Overall, the click and fix app that al referred to is allows people opportunity to say.

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They've got a question and then mason who's back there um mason's our water quality, specialist.

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He's the guy that gets the calls they kind of filter them way their way to to mason who then.

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Does his best on the phone to say you know, hey, oh you're, you're, just down the street from where we.

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Sample and he might be able to pull that data up and answer your question, but uh you know right now.

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We're flushing so there people might have some rusty dirty water. One thing we are trying to.

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Explore is an interactive app that we can really identify more in real time where the neighborhoods.

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Were flushing so in general we say where we're flushing right now, but we hope in the in the fall.

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Of this year to have something that you know you go on the website or actually we could do.

A

Codered verse911 to do that good question. Thank you. Yes, question back there from council, lombardy.

A

Yeah a local place to to actually pick up and and drop off tests. Well, certainly.

A

One thing the whole testing for for lead is could be a hole. The way we do water quality.

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Testing for lead that could be a meeting unto itself and certainly mason is busy right now. I'm.

A

Getting bottles out there, but you could you could contact mason because we're always looking for.

A

The housing stock that is old, so if your.

A

Your residence qualifies in the category so there's places we have to to go for sampling at.

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Old houses or houses have plumbing prior to 86.. So if yours qualifies and you can talk to mason.

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Right here today, we could put you on the list for that sampling. If you're wanting to lead testing.

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The one lab in portsmouth absolute resource associates they're out on heritage avenue. They.

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Do sampling that is certified and then everybody else on the list too, can they are certainly being.

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In town, though, like al said, we don't endorse or fully recommend anybody, but they are in town. So.

A

That, probably, in certain respects the easiest way to to do a test like that, but you're welcome.

A

Great I'm going to take a look, nothing popped up in chat, so we we did had eight attendees out there.

A

um I don't know if al, if you're, gonna, un, unmute yourself and turn your video on al was a little.

A

Under the weather there he is, can you hear me yeah just say: hey sitting out here in the reservoir.

A

Hey al, you did a great job. I think we should give al a great hand and tim tim over here and mason.

A

And dan and again, andrea and the whole um safe water advisory group. Thank you and kim. This was.

A

A it's a great night we'd like to do it again and we're we're. uh Certainly um the next round.

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uh If we do the slido polling we're uh looking forward to people giving us some really tough.

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Things to put up there, so I think it's a great way any any other thoughts. Anything I missed al.

C

I think you covered everything great.

A

Thanks, if anyone does have any questions, you know mason and my contact information.

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Is on the website so um feel free to call us or email us anytime about water quality issues.

A

Great anything to finish up kim andrea. Just thank you very much for coming taking in all.

B

This information, it's a lot. This will be recorded, so you can watch it again if you'd like to and.

B

Share it with your neighbors or anyone else, who's interested because, as I said, drinking water, clean.

B

Drinking water is all of our responsibility and that's critical for all of us, so it's important.

B

To be educated and know how you can protect your water filter, your water, if you want to preserve.

B

It so thanks again for coming. I hope you found it helpful thanks, everybody and and think blue.

A