Tinkham Garage Superfund Site

The Tinkham Garage Superfund Site covers approximately 375 acres. The property was used as an automobile garage and salvage yard, and in the late 1970s, it became the focus of environmental concern due to the improper dumping of waste. Reports from local residents in 1978 described foam and a strong chemical odor coming from a nearby stream. Investigations by state and federal officials revealed that hazardous chemicals—including oil and solvents—had been disposed of at the site. These substances seeped into the ground and contaminated nearby private drinking water wells.

As a result, the site was added to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Priorities List in 1983, a designation reserved for the nation’s most serious hazardous waste sites. In response to the contamination, emergency actions were taken, including installing a new public water line to supply safe drinking water to affected homes in the area.

In 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in collaboration with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES), is considering an interim cleanup action at the Tinkham Garage Superfund Site in Londonderry. This initiative arises from ongoing assessments of groundwater contamination, including chemicals not previously addressed in earlier remediation efforts. In response to the widespread detection of 1,4-dioxane and PFAS in groundwater and residential wells in the Ross and Tokanel neighborhood between 2016 and 2018, residents were provided bottled water after levels exceeded New Hampshire’s drinking water standards.

Most Recent Updates

As of September 30, 2025, the EPA has complied all public comment and has published the Record of Decision, Interim Action.