PFAS Removal Rebate Program for Private Wells
Funding for eligible private well owners to install a treatment system or connect to a water system.
NHDES will provide a one-time rebate to private well users for up to $5,000 for the installation of PFAS treatment (point-of-use or point-of-entry) or up to $10,000 for a service connection to a public water system. Note: Treatment installations completed after September 30, 2019, are eligible for this program. Eligibility must be determined through the application process and approval from NHDES to receive a rebate.
ELIGIBLE ENTITIES
The following entities are eligible to apply for the rebate program:
- Owners of a single or multiple-unit residential property.
- Tenants/occupants of a residential property where the owner of the property has not applied for the rebate for the same property.
- Treatment installers may apply in lieu of an eligible applicant with an appropriate waiver of claims between the two parties.
Contracted Treatment Installer Submitted Applications - Applications submitted by contracted treatment installers on behalf of a homeowner or tenant shall not be considered eligible if the homeowner or tenant has already paid for eligible services rendered. Installation must be completed at no cost to the homeowner or tenant. The updated Owner Acknowledgement form must be used on all applications for installations dated after August 25, 2023.
FINDING TREATMENT INSTALLERS
Please note that NHDES does not approve or recommend treatment installers for residential wells. It is recommended that homeowners obtain quotes from multiple treatment installers. A list of New Hampshire Residential Water Systems Service Providers has been compiled by NHDES. However, this listing does not imply endorsement by NHDES.
PFAS EXCEEDANCE
Applicants must be able to provide documentation of a PFAS exceedance in their private residential drinking water well and have no offer of an alternate water source (bottled water, treatment, or service connection) from a third party. An exceedance is a PFAS result greater than one or more of NHDES’ Ambient Groundwater Quality Standards (AGQS):
- Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) – 12 ng/L
- Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) – 15 ng/L
- Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) – 18 ng/L
- Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) – 11 ng/L

Did You Know?
Did You Know?
New Hampshire residents using a private residential drinking well may request to be have their water sampled by NHDES for PFAS at no cost by filling out the PFAS Testing for Private Wells Request Form.
DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED
- A complete and signed application form.
- Analytical lab results showing an exceedance of one or more of the PFAS AGQS- not required if NHDES collected this sample.
- Itemized sales receipt(s)/invoice(s) for all associated work.
- Specification sheets for treatment media and equipment installed, if applicable and available.
- Photo documentation of the treatment installed or service connection.
- Post-treatment analytical lab results showing PFAS concentrations below the AGQS- not required for water system connections.
What is the PFAS Removal Rebate Program for Private Wells?
The NHDES will provide a one-time rebate of up to $5,000 per residential unit to assist eligible private residential well users in the purchase and installation of a treatment system (point-of-use or point-of -entry) designed to remove Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS) or up to $10,000 per residential unit to connect to an existing public water system. For more information, please refer to the Rebate Program for Removal of PFAS in Private Wells - Final Funding Proposal.
Who is eligible to apply for a rebate?
The following entities are eligible to apply for the rebate program:
- Owners of single or multiple-unit residential properties serviced by private well(s).
- Tenants and occupants of residential property serviced by private well(s) where the owner of the property has not applied for the rebate for the same property.
- Treatment installers and contractors may apply in lieu of an eligible applicant with an appropriate waiver of claims between the two parties.
How do I apply?
An online application with instructions can be found here: NH Online Forms System - PFAS Removal Rebate Program for Private Wells.
There is an option at the bottom of this landing page to either “Begin Form Entry” or “Download Mail-in Form.” You may download the form to fill out electronically and email to pfasrebateprogram@des.nh.gov or print and mail to:
ATTN: Kathryn Moran
NHDES- MtBERB
29 Hazen Drive
PO BOX 95
Concord, NH 03301
If you prefer a paper copy, one can be mailed to you upon request. Please email the above email address or call Kathryn “KC” Moran at (603) 271-8539.
What documentation do I need to apply?
The following is a list of documents that need to be submitted with a completed application:
- Analytical lab results showing an exceedance of one or more of the PFAS ambient groundwater quality standard (AGQS) - not required if New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) collected the sample.
- Itemized sales receipt(s)/invoice(s) for all associated work.
- Specification sheets for treatment media and equipment installed, if applicable and available.
- Photo documentation of the treatment installed or service connection.
- Post-treatment analytical lab results showing PFAS concentrations below the AGQS - not required for service connections.
Do I need to have an exceedance of a NHDES PFAS ambient groundwater quality standard (AGQS) to be eligible?
Yes - There needs to be a documented AGQS exceedance of one or more of the four PFAS compounds outlined below in the water collected from the private residential drinking water well.
Ambient Groundwater Quality Standard nanograms/liter (part per trillion, or ppt) |
|
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) |
12 |
Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) |
15 |
Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) |
18 |
Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) |
11 |
If I receive bottled water or treatment from a third party, am I eligible for the rebate?
Anyone receiving bottled water, an alternative source of drinking water, or who has had treatment installed and maintained by a third party is not eligible for the rebate.
Am I eligible for the rebate if I receive my water from a community water system?
Community public water systems are regulated by the Drinking Water and Groundwater Bureau and are required to treat for PFAS that exceed the standards to remain in compliance. Residents of these public water systems will not be eligible to apply for the rebate. There are other funding sources to assist these water systems with drinking water remediation.
If I sampled my well or had my well sampled by someone other than NHDES, can I be reimbursed for that cost from the rebate?
Yes, if you incurred a cost by sampling your well or by having had your well sampled by someone other than NHDES, this is an eligible cost under the program.
If I have already installed treatment, can I still apply for the rebate?
Treatment systems installed after September 30, 2019 are eligible for the rebate if all other eligibility requirements are met.
Where can I find a contractor that installs treatment?
Please refer to fact sheet DWGB 7-3 New Hampshire Residential Water Systems Service Providers for a list of treatment installers around the state. Please note that NHDES does not approve or recommend treatment installers for residential wells. The listing does not imply endorsement by NHDES. It is recommended homeowners obtain quotes from multiple treatment installers.
How do I know what treatment is best for me?
There are multiple treatment options that are effective for the removal of PFAS. The two main treatment options are point-of-use (POU) and point-of-entry (POE) systems. More information on these can be found at: DWGB-3-25 Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in New Hampshire Well Water.
An additional resource to refer to when selecting a treatment option is Selecting the Right Option for You: A Guide to Ensuring Safe Drinking Water.
If I choose to install a POE and a POU treatment system, can I be reimbursed for both?
Both forms of treatment are an acceptable treatment option on their own. The rebate program will cover the expense of either a single POE or multiple POUs.
I would like to install two POU systems instead of a POE. Could I be reimbursed for more than one POU?
The program will cover more than one POU installed at a single address up to the maximum rebate of $5,000.
If I install treatment now and receive the rebate, can I apply a second time if the opportunity arises to connect to a public water system in the future?
This is a one-time rebate. Prior to applying, it may be beneficial to explore with your town/city whether a future water service connection is possible.
What does it mean to have the contracted treatment installer apply in lieu of the homeowner or tenant?
The treatment installer may submit an application on behalf of a homeowner or tenant. Applications submitted by treatment installers shall not be considered eligible if the homeowner or tenant has already paid for eligible services rendered. Installation must be completed at no cost to the homeowner or tenant. NHDES will then reimburse the contracted treatment installer directly for eligible items.
If I installed treatment and have since moved, am I eligible for the rebate?
Yes, as long as all the required documentation is submitted with the application to meet eligibility requirements.
Are operations and maintenance costs included?
The intent of this program is to aid with the expense of initial installation and does not include funding for the operations and maintenance (O&M) of the treatment system. It is important to note that proper O&M of any treatment is essential for effective contaminant removal. The cost of O&M varies with each type of treatment and should be considered when determining which treatment system to install.
Can I treat for more than PFAS if my water has other contaminants?
Your water is likely to contain other contaminants such as arsenic, uranium, radon, manganese, nitrate and bacteria that present health risks and that are naturally occurring or originate from nearby land uses. While it is important for all private well users to test for these contaminants using an accredited laboratory to ensure that the water treatment technology selected is effective at removing any contaminants that are present at elevated levels, the rebate program will only cover the costs that are related to treating PFAS.
Is the required post treatment sample covered by the rebate?
Yes - the post treatment sample required for the rebate is an eligible cost under the program. NHDES is not performing post treatment sampling at this time. Resources are being used to sample those NH residents that have not had a first sample collected yet. You can either employ the company that installed your treatment to collect a sample or refer to this list of labs that can assist: Laboratory Testing Guidelines for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) for Private and Public Drinking Water Supplies.
What is a vendor code?
To receive payment of a rebate, you must register as a vendor with the State of New Hampshire Department of Administrative Services. This registration supplies you with a vendor code that must be included on the rebate application form. You can obtain a vendor code by visiting the Vendor Resource Center. Please follow this guidance on Utilizing the Online Vendor Registry.
Where do I go for more information?
If you have additional questions, please contact the PFAS Rebate Team at pfasrebateprogram@des.nh.gov or (603) 271-8539.
For questions regarding the issuance of Form 1099-G related to the PFAS Removal Rebate, please see the information below.
NHDES is accepting applications online (preferred), as well as by mail, email or hand-delivered. An electronic version, which is printable, is available at the link below along with the online form. A paper copy is available upon request. A separate application is required for each requested rebate.
In order to receive reimbursement from the program, all applicants will need to register with the New Hampshire Department of Administration (NHDAS) and obtain a Vendor Code. To register for a Vendor Code, please refer to the guidance below on how to complete the registration.
Additional Resources
Contact Information
PFAS Response Team
pfasrebateprogram@des.nh.gov
(603) 271-8539