Windham Center School Carbon Filter

PFCs have been found at elevated levels in several locations in Windham, NH. Windham Center School is in the vicinity of this cluster of elevated PFC wells and sites and has shown evidence of having PFCs in its drinking water. Recently our school board considered the matter and in a 2 to 3 vote decided against adding a carbon filtration system to the school that all experts agree would treat the water in the school of PFCs and many other chemicals. School board members Keleigh McAllister, a 15 year chemical industry professional, and Dennis Senibaldi, a supervisor at one of the sites most heavily effected by the PFC contamination in town, both voted for this filtration system.   

Per the CDC website testing of animals exposed to high levels of PFCs in their drinking water have shown some changes in liver, thyroid, and pancreatic function, as well as some changes in hormone levels. Windham Center School services more than 700 of the town’s children in grades 3 to 5, a vital physical developmental stage.  

Initial testing has found that the school's water has 20ppt of these chemicals. The guidance recommendation is 70ppt. However, this May the state Senate unanimously passed a bi-partisan bill  requiring DES to annually re-evaluate this standard as many peer reviewed scientific studies have shown there to be effects from much smaller amounts of PFCs in the drinking water. Many states, townships, and school districts have already set stricter limits on the amount of PFCs they will tolerate in their water. In the state of Vermont, for example, the levels of PFCs in Windham Center School's water would be considered dangerous. 

At the time of the vote Republican state Senator Dan Innis stated, “I think it’s a powerful statement that the quality of our environment in New Hampshire is critically important to us. Not just because we live here and we drink the water and we breathe the air. But because the environment is a big part of our economy, it’s a big part of our image and it’s a part of who we are.”

This issue effects not just parents of grade school children but all Windham residents. The desirability of our town and our strong home values are based in a large part on the reputation of our schools. With the inaction of the majority of our school board to keep the health of the town's children at the forefront I hope that residents will raise the money needed to add this carbon filtration system to Windham Center School ourselves. 

If we cannot raise enough money for the filtration system in the campaign the money will be used to otherwise supply safe drinking water to the staff and students of WCS during the upcoming school year. Any money raised in excess of what is needed for the filtration system will be donated to the Windham PTA, to put towards the many outreach programs they host throughout the school year for parents and students.