Windham, N.H., residents blame blasting for bad water

WINDHAM, N.H. -- A developer has temporarily halted blasting at a construction site after nearby residents complained it damaged their homes and fouled drinking water.

Andre Vignos said his toes and his wife's hair turned orange when they took showers, forcing her to dye her hair and the couple to buy their drinking water and start using a coin laundry.

Others who live near the site off Ledge Road have complained of cracks in their foundations and noise, in addition to water problems.

"Water tests indicate the nitrates in our well water are above standard. The iron content has increased substantially, and the hardness of the water has increased significantly," said Greg Kindrat, who lives with his wife on Haverhill Road.

About 30 residents complained to the selectmen last week. Meadowcroft, the developer, voluntarily agreed to stop blasting for two weeks and to pay for an independent consultant to see if the blasting is causing the problems. But Bruce Marshall, a lawyer for Meadowcroft, said tests have not shown any correlation between the blasting and the water problems.

Meadowcroft is building a business park and has been blasting ledge and processing rock since October.

Marshall said a consultant measured vibrations caused by the blasting and found them well within acceptable limits. He also said the company does not believe the blasting has caused any structural damage to homes.

Residents are skeptical.

"The reality is, the houses are being damaged and the water quality is being diminished considerably," Kindrat said.

Justin McGrail, who also lives on Haverhill Road, said his basement floor cracked shortly after the blasting started. In the spring, he said water bubbling up though the cracks forced him to install a pump.

Vignos shows visitors an orange residue that he said his well water now leaves in bathroom fixtures. He said his water problems include high levels of manganese, iron and arsenic.

But Marshall said water samples from wells, including Vignos', taken before the blasting and recently do not show a direct correlation between the problems and the blasting.

He said site work done on Vignos' property unrelated to the blasting could have caused his problems.

Selectmen are studying the situation and plan to meet with Marshall again. Louise Peltz hopes they are able to do something.

"Our house is vibrating when they do the blasting," said Peltz, whose Blossom Road home abuts the back of the site. "Our house shakes. You can feel it. I expect it will get worse."

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