NH halves amount of arsenic allowed in water

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A New Hampshire bill that cuts by half the level of arsenic allowed in the public water supply has been signed into law.

The bill, signed Friday, lowers the maximum amount of arsenic allowed in public water to 5 parts per billion.

New Hampshire's Department of Environmental Services had been enforcing a limit of 10 parts per billion, which was established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2006.

The standards don't apply to private wells, which are used by roughly half the state's residents.

Arsenic, a carcinogen, occurs naturally in underground rock formations.

New Hampshire is the second state to reduce arsenic water levels below the federal limit. New Jersey set a limit of 5 parts per billion in 2006.