Merrimack, New Hampshire (population 27,000), is 50 miles north of Boston. It was home to a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Natural resources include maple syrup and granite. Local artisans have created fine handicrafts in the area since 1932. More recently, Merrimack has become home to plastics manufacturing.

In 2016 the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services advised that drinking water well test results from the Merrimack Village Water District ranged from 17 to 90 parts per trillion perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Additionally, hundreds of private wells in the area had much higher levels of PFOA. Residents reviewed water tests and learned an entire panel of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were present in area water supplies. There was no official acknowledgement of the presence of additional PFAS in the drinking water.

Community members were concerned about how long the “forever chemicals” had been in the water, how much exposure they had sustained, and what the potential health implications were. Over time, the experience of long-term environmental contamination contributed to psychosocial stress in the community.

As a professional counselor Ms. Allen had years of experience providing mental health services. After the discovery of PFAS exposure she began to hear concerns about drinking water during counseling sessions. On weekends she researched PFAS history, state reports, and science to increase her understanding of the extent of the problem and solutions. Ms. Allen became an advocate to get more information, legitimize the community’s stress experience, and connect with PFAS advocates nationwide through organizations she cofounded, Merrimack Citizens for Clean Water and the National PFAS Contamination Coalition.

Through that work she connected with ATSDR and volunteered in a stakeholder group to provide input on the Resource Center. This is her story about facing contamination, engaging her community’s stress, and building community resilience.