The Manchester, New Hampshire, 03109 zip code area operates under a critical environmental hazard designation due to a high density of industrial contamination. Residents are situated within ten miles of ten hazardous sites, with four located inside a five-mile radius. The most significant threat is the Auburn Road Landfill, located 3.8 miles away. This location, alongside the nearby Queen City Avenue CVOC areas and the VA Medical Center Ash Dump, maintains an active status on the Environmental Protection Agency National Priorities List. This active designation indicates that these sites are currently undergoing federal investigation, active containment protocols, and long-term remediation efforts.

The primary pollutants threatening this community are Volatile Organic Compounds. These chemicals evaporate readily at room temperature, allowing them to easily infiltrate both groundwater supplies and indoor air through soil vapor intrusion. Chronic exposure to these volatile compounds via inhalation or water consumption damages the central nervous system, compromises liver and kidney function, and significantly increases long-term cancer risks.

Because these contaminants migrate easily through soil and aquifers, residents must implement immediate environmental safeguards. Households utilizing private wells must commission annual laboratory water testing specifically screening for volatile organic compounds and install certified reverse osmosis filtration systems. To combat potential soil vapor intrusion, residents should ensure basements are thoroughly sealed and operate indoor air purifiers equipped with activated carbon filters to neutralize chemical vapors. Furthermore, individuals should utilize raised garden beds with imported commercial soil rather than planting directly into potentially compromised native ground.