water

This is the fourth of a four-part series focusing on the State’s water infrastructure: public drinking water, wastewater, storm water and dams. Each article has spotlighted a municipal system; addressed critical needs of that infrastructure system; and outlined funding sources available to municipalities today that may be used to maintain and sustain these critically important infrastructure systems.

This is the third of a four-part series focusing on the State’s water infrastructure: public drinking water, wastewater, storm water and dams. Each article will spotlight a municipal system; address critical needs of that infrastructure system; and outline funding sources available to municipalities today that may be used to maintain and sustain these critically important infrastructure systems.

The lack of snow and the unseasonably warm New Hampshire winter have many people across the state thinking about the potential for drought this spring or summer. Because drought is progressive in nature and comes on slowly, it is often not recognized until it reaches a severe level. New Hampshire experienced a limited drought in the summer of 2010 and the third worst drought on record from 2001-2003.

This is the second of a four-part series focusing on the state’s water infrastructure: public drinking water, wastewater, storm water and dams. Each article will spotlight a municipal system; address critical needs of that infrastructure system; and outline funding sources available to municipalities today that may be used to maintain and sustain these critically important infrastructure systems.

Summer is still a few months off. But it’s not too early for aquatic facilities directors to start thinking about how to keep pool and beach patrons safe.

Your first order of business should be the warning sign.

Treated effluent is more than water in a pipeline; it’s a potential source of clean renewable energy. While conventional-design hydro turbine generators have been considered for years as a means to scavenge and harvest this potential power source, the challenge posed by the fluctuating flow environment and has more often than not rendered this technology impractical and not cost effective.

While much of the water infrastructure is "out of sight," it can't be "out of mind," as New Hampshire's environment and economy depend too much on it.

New Hampshire residents are dependent on an array of infrastructure that moves, stores and treats water. To make this happen, cities and towns own and operate a lot of water infrastructure in New Hampshire. These municipal systems provide public drinking water, centralized wastewater, storm water and dam infrastructure.

By Lori Duff

The turning point, many residents believe, in the Town of Franconia's water system improvement project happened during the 2009 Town Meeting.

In its 247-year history, the town had never approved a bonded project, not even a couple hundred dollars for a fire truck, and now the water committee was asking for $3.85 million.

"This is the North Country," said Selectman Rich McLeod. "There is an innate resistance to debt or taxes or bonding. It takes a hard sell in order to have a project like this accepted by the community."

By Alicia Carlson and Holly Green

When you look at your local surface water supply, what do you see? If you see a shoreline surrounded by shrubs and trees, you likely have few problems with erosion and turbidity. Forested lands are an important first step in protecting surface waters. They can help to ensure a cleaner water supply than in a more developed watershed.