DRAFT 12-1

Chapter Twelve Public Utilities and Communication Introduction Public utilities are necessary for community growth and sustainability. This chapter discusses the building blocks of physical town infrastructure, including public water and sewer systems, wastewater treatment, stormwater management, and public utilities such as electricity, and natural gas. Closely related to public utilities are communications such as cable television, the Internet, telephone systems, and wireless communications. The theme of the Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission (SNHPC) region is sustainability, and one of the region’s challenges is financing infrastructure to keep pace with growth. To achieve sustained growth, a community must have adequate water, waste disposal, and communication capabilities to support the increased demand for such resources that are associated with a rise in population. Having these basic utilities available promotes public health and results in a higher quality of life. This can then lead to the overall prosperity of a community and a stable economy. It is especially important for municipalities to have adequate infrastructure and/or agreements during times of emergency when it is imperative that municipalities are able to communicate with each other to allocate resources to where they are needed most. The regionalization of public utilities within the SNHPC could potentially decrease the amount of preparedness that may be required for these situations, like a water shortage for example. Regionalization would also decrease costs associated with having individual systems. This chapter provides an overview of existing conditions and offers some creative perspectives for beginning to look at these issues on a regional level. Overall Goal Support local and regional efforts to provide greater accessibility to public utilities for all residences, businesses and government bodies and the provision of adequate public utilities to facilitate economic development.

DR

AFT

12

-2

Tab

le 1

: Util

ities

by

Tow

n fo

r th

e SN

HPC

Reg

ion

Tow

n T

elep

hone

E

lect

ric

Gas

W

ater

Se

wer

T

reat

men

t Pla

nt

Rec

yclin

g A

ubur

n G

ST

PSN

H

Nat

iona

l Grid

M

anch

este

r WW

Pr

ivat

e N

o M

anda

tory

FairP

oint

N

HEC

Wel

ls

B

edfo

rd

FairP

oint

PS

NH

N

atio

nal G

rid

Penn

ichu

ck

Bed

ford

Was

te

No

Vol

unta

ry

NH

EC

M

anch

este

r WW

Pr

ivat

e

C

andi

a Fa

irPoi

nt

PSN

H

N/A

W

ells

Pr

ivat

e N

o M

anda

tory

N

HEC

Che

ster

Fa

irPoi

nt

NH

EC

N/A

H

amps

tead

Pr

ivat

e N

o M

anda

tory

GST

PS

NH

Wel

ls

D

eerf

ield

Fa

irPoi

nt

PSN

H

N/A

W

ells

Pr

ivat

e N

o N

one

NH

EC

D

erry

Fa

irPoi

nt

Nat

iona

l Grid

N

atio

nal G

rid

Penn

ichu

ck E

ast

Mun

icip

al

Yes

M

anda

tory

N

HEC

Der

ry

Priv

ate

PSN

H

W

ells

Gof

fsto

wn

Dun

barto

n PS

NH

N

atio

nal G

rid

Man

ches

ter W

W

Mun

icip

al

Yes

M

anda

tory

FairP

oint

H

ooks

ett

FairP

oint

PS

NH

N

atio

nal G

rid

Penn

ichu

ck E

ast

Mun

icip

al

Yes

V

olun

tary

M

anch

este

r WW

Mun

icip

al*

L

ondo

nder

ry

FairP

oint

PS

NH

N

atio

nal G

rid

Penn

ichu

ck E

ast

Bod

wel

l Was

te

Yes

Y

es

NH

EC

M

anch

este

r WW

Pr

ivat

e

U

NIT

IL

W

ells

Man

ches

ter

FairP

oint

PS

NH

N

atio

nal G

rid

Man

ches

ter W

W

Bod

wel

l Was

te

Yes

Y

ard

- Man

dato

ry

O

ther

- V

olun

tary

N

ew B

osto

n G

ST

PSN

H

N/A

W

ells

Pr

ivat

e N

o M

anda

tory

FairP

oint

R

aym

ond

FairP

oint

N

HEC

N

/A

Penn

ichu

ck E

ast

Priv

ate

No

Vol

unta

ry

PSN

H

R

aym

ond

WD

Wea

re

GST

PS

NH

N

/A

Dan

iels

Lak

e Pr

ivat

e Y

es

Man

dato

ry

Fa

irPoi

nt

Wel

ls

*G

ST =

Gra

nite

Sta

te T

elep

hone

; PS

NH

= P

ublic

Ser

vice

of N

H; N

HE

C =

NH

Ele

ctric

Coo

pera

tive;

Nat

iona

l Grid

was

form

erly

“Key

span

Ene

rgy;

WW

= W

ater

W

orks

; WD

= W

ater

Dep

artm

ent;

(Sou

rces

: 200

9 da

ta fr

om th

e N

H P

ublic

Util

ities

Com

mis

sion

and

200

8 N

H C

omm

unity

Pro

files

)

DRAFT 12-3

Public Survey Results The Public Utilities Survey was developed to measure public input regarding the status of existing utilities within SHNPC communities and what direction the future might take. Over 100 respondents replied to the survey, which was made available to Town Planners, Town Managers, Public Works Directors, Board of Selectmen, Planning Boards, and Conservation Commissions within the region. The survey was posted on the SNHPC website between October 1, 2010 and December 1, 2010. Every SNHPC region community participated in the survey.

Would you support the establishment of a Regional Water Council or Water Authority in order to improve the supply, treatment, distribution and cost of services for the region?

o 43 percent of respondents answered yes, while 36 percent answered no, and 21 percent were unsure.

In 2006, the Regional Comprehensive Plan recommended that communities create

more common public utilities to share costs throughout the region. Would you support this today?

o 55 percent of respondents said yes, 24 percent said no, and 21 percent did not know.

Is your community seeking alternatives to existing septage disposal, solid waste,

and stormwater management practices? o 30 percent of respondents said that their community was seeking

alternatives, 39 percent said their community was not, and 31 did not know.

Does your community have a public information office or officer or other forms

of media such as a newsletter, E-bulletin, website, etc. to enhance communication?

o 77 percent of respondents said yes, 14 percent said their community did not, and 9 percent were unsure.

Should all towns/cities in the region require mandatory recycling?

o 76 percent of respondents said yes and 17 percent said no. 7 percent were unsure.

Should the region begin to look into alternative energy sources as cost effective

solutions? Would you support your municipality installing alternative energy sources, including geothermal, wood pellets, solar, wind turbines, etc.?

o 85 percent of respondents felt that the region should look into alternative energy sources as a cost effective energy option, while 10 percent did not support this. 5 percent were unsure.

DRAFT 12-4

Does your community currently offer financial incentives to residents to install alternative energy sources?

o 18 percent of residents stated that their community currently offers financial incentives. 52 percent said that no incentives were offered and 30 percent did not know.

Have you considered using and/or mandating U.S. Green Building Council

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED guidelines or certification) for future development in your community for new public and/or private buildings and developments?

o 38 percent answered yes to this question, 27 percent answered no, and 35 percent did not know.

Has your community adopted Low-Impact Development and Best Management

Practices to minimize stormwater pollution/runoff and the use of pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers?

o 26 percent of respondents replied yes, 27 percent no, and 47 percent said they were unsure

Does your community require that all utility lines for new developments be placed

underground? o 35 percent of respondents believed this to be true, 38 percent said their

community did not require this, and 27 percent were unsure. � When respondents were asked if they felt that underground utilities

should be a requirement of all new developments, 63 percent said yes, 23 percent said no, and 14 percent were unsure.

Has your community adopted energy-efficiency ordinances for buildings and

developments? o 20 percent of respondents replied that their community had adopted

energy-efficiency ordinances while 35 percent answered that it did not. 45 percent of respondents did not know.

Needs and Concerns Based on the public survey results the most important issues facing the SNHPC region are:

Provide adequate public utilities to facilitate economic development; Accessibility of public utilities to rural residences and new subdivisions; Rising costs and/or privatization of public utilities, such as sewer, water, and solid

waste management; Coordination of services; and Regional preparedness for emergencies, particularly in terms of communications

In many rural towns where municipal water and sewer systems are not economically feasible, larger lot sizes are necessary to accommodate private well and septic systems

DRAFT 12-5

based on underlying soil conditions. This pattern of rural development generates additional transportation, public utility and other infrastructure costs. Public Water Services Regional Overview The SNHPC region, as a whole, exemplifies a combination of water systems including small individual wells, municipal systems for town-wide operations, and large systems run by singular companies and covering multiple towns. Manchester Water Works (MWW) is by far the largest water provider in the region and state alike, with over 5.9 billion gallons of water a year and 16 million gallons of drinking water every day, provided to 31,023 domestic services covering more than 495.5 miles of water mains. Water is pumped through various cast iron, ductile iron, copper, cement, and plastic pipes to more than 159,000 people within the region. MWW provides service to the City of Manchester and parts of six surrounding communities including towns of Auburn, Derry, Londonderry, Bedford, Goffstown, and Hooksett. While some of these towns have their own water departments, most of their drinking water supply is purchased from MWW directly. The primary water source is Lake Massabesic which has a gross storage capacity of nearly 15 billion gallons and is located approximately three and a half miles east of the Manchester’s downtown business district, bordering the Town of Auburn. The plant has a maximum hydraulic capacity of 50 million gallons per day and presently delivers in excess of 16.9 million gallons per day to approximately 159,000 consumers in the greater Manchester area. The water supply is also supplemented by Tower Hill Pond, located in Auburn and Candia, which has a gross storage capacity of 1.3 billion gallons. Water is treated at the Manchester Water Treatment Facility, also known as the Lake Shore Road Treatment Plant, adjacent to Lake Massabesic by a state-of-the-art system which is routinely updated to improve water quality and operational efficiency (Source: City of Manchester). Fire protection within the MWW system is provided through over 3,000 hydrants. Although MWW is not regulated by the NH Public Utilities Commission, they are required to submit their tariffs annually and NH DES continuously monitors the watershed that encompasses the Greater Manchester area to protect public and environmental interests alike. The second largest water provider is Pennichuck, Inc. and its subsidiary companies Pennichuck Water Works and Pennichuck East Utility, Inc. Pennichuck provides drinking water to the City of Nashua and ten surrounding communities consisting of an estimated population of 110,000 people. Within the SNHPC Region these towns include Bedford and Derry while Pennichuck East provides service to the towns of Derry, Hooksett, Londonderry, and Raymond.

DRAFT 12-6

While these two companies have a very large presence in the region, still many of the towns of the region rely on private wells or smaller sized municipal water systems. The towns of Candia, Chester, Deerfield, and New Boston do not have municipal water systems and rely instead upon private wells or small-scale community water systems. While it may be difficult to create a centralized system for towns on the periphery of the region; the benefits of doing so would be significant. Regionwide, centralized/public water systems generally have much lower levels of contamination in their water due to the extensive amount of testing that is done as well as less overall impact to the environment. Owners of the private wells, however, are more susceptible to groundwater contamination. The following map shows the consolidated service area of all the water suppliers in the region.

±

Ma

p #

7

Wat

er S

ervi

ce

Wat

er S

ervi

ce A

reas

Wat

er L

ines

Polit

ical

Bou

ndar

ies

Stre

ams

Riv

ers/

Lak

es

Roads

Inte

rsta

te H

ighw

ays

Stat

e R

oute

s

Maj

or R

oads

02.

55

1.25

Mile

s

Dat

a So

urce

s:G

rani

t Dig

ital D

ata

(1:2

4,00

0)N

H D

epar

tmen

t of T

rans

porta

tion

2009

Wat

er S

ervi

ce D

ata

from

:To

wn

of A

ubur

nTo

wn

of B

edfo

rdTo

wn

of C

andi

aTo

wn

of C

hest

erTo

wn

of D

eerfi

eld

Tow

n of

Der

ryTo

wn

of G

offs

tow

n To

wn

of H

ooks

ett

The

indi

vidu

al m

unic

ipal

ities

rep

rese

nted

on

this

map

an

d th

e S

NH

PC

mak

e no

repr

esen

tatio

ns o

r gua

rant

ees

to th

e ac

cura

cy o

f the

feat

ures

and

des

igna

tions

of t

his

map

.

This

map

is p

repa

red

for p

lann

ing

purp

oses

onl

y an

d is

not

to b

e us

ed fo

r leg

al b

ound

ary

dete

rmin

atio

ns

or fo

r reg

ulat

ory

purp

oses

.

Map

Pro

duce

d b

y G

IS S

ervi

ce S

NH

PC

Jun

e 20

10.

Con

tact

: SN

HP

C, g

is@

snhp

c.or

g or

(603

) 669

-466

4

Reg

iona

l Com

phre

nsiv

e P

lan

!"b#$

!"b#$

AÍ

Aä

AÍ

AÐ

Ij

?º

%&d'(

Aä

?Æ

Aa

?§

?§Aû

?Æ

Aí

AÐAÖ

?́?̧

?À

AÖ

?̧

Aö

Loca

tion

Map

Tow

n of

Lon

dond

erry

City

of M

anch

este

rTo

wn

of N

ew B

osto

nTo

wn

of R

aym

ond

Tow

n of

Wea

reM

anch

este

r Wat

er W

orks

Pen

nich

uck

Wat

er W

orks

DRAFT 12-8

Town Water Service Inventory Auburn Service Area - MWW currently provides franchised service to the northwest corner of Auburn, with extensions granted to users who pay the costs associated with the extension. The service area extends along Candia Road, Rockingham Road, and Dartmouth Drive. The rest of Auburn is served by on-site water systems from local aquifers. Expansion and Improvements since 2005 – None reported. Water Source/Plant(s) Used – Manchester Water Works. See Service Area Map.

Number of Domestic Services – 96, including 78 residential and 18 commercial/industrial connections. Future Plans – None reported. Bedford Service Area - The portions of the Town of Bedford that are served by MWW include the eastern section of town, bordered to the west by Rte. 101, Rte 114,

and the F.E. Everett Turnpike. Bedford’s principal commercial corridor Route 3 is also served by MWW. Pennichuck Water Works purchases water from MWW and serves areas of New Boston and County Road. Most residents in Bedford obtain water from individual wells or small community suppliers, such as in a cluster subdivision. Expansion and Improvements since 2005- MWW is increasing 9,500 feet of water main and 80 service connections. Water Source/Plant(s) Used – Manchester Water Works. See Service Area Map. Number of Domestic Services – 1,381 services: 1,146 residential, 229 commercial, 4 industrial, and 2 municipal. Future Plans – MWW extensive relocation of existing facilities currently underway along route 3 in conjunction with the Airport Access Road project. Derry Service Area – Approximately 1/3 of the land area of Derry and 50% of it population is served with public water by the Derry Municipal Water System. Derry’s municipal water is supplied by Manchester Water Works through a wholesale agreement. Most of the

Lake Massabesic in Auburn supplies most of the region’s water.

DRAFT 12-9

Derry municipal water service area is concentrated west of Route 28 By-Pass. The Town of Derry also owns and operates five (5) stand alone community water systems serviced by individual community wells. These neighborhoods include Meadowbrook, Willow Bend, Woodlands, Randi/Shepard Hill, and Autumn Woods. Pennichuck Inc. services 1,100 water connections in Derry primarily east of Route 28 By-Pass. These systems are serviced primarily by individual community wells, however in 2010 Pennichuck and Derry extended municipal water to east Derry along East Derry/Hampstead Road and interconnected Pennichuck’s Drew Woods System which includes over 500 residential customers. Derry also services Pennichuck’s Maple Hills System (183 customers in Derry) and their Oakwood System (120 customers in Derry and a part of Windham and Londonderry). Expansion and Improvements since 2005 – From 2005 to 2009 Improvements in Derry’s high service Zone 2 included extending water service along Route 28 By-Pass from Scobie Pond to Old Coach Road looping a major part of this zone to improve water pressures and fire flows to the area as well as provide water service to a new elementary school. In 2008 municipal water service was extended along Route 28-Rockingham Road to provide service to Pennichuck’s Maple Hills Water System to improve water quality and reliability to 183 Derry residences. In 2010 Derry and Pennichuck completed a joint municipal water extension in Derry’s high service Zone 3 in East Derry along East Derry/Hampstead Road and interconnected Derry’s Meadowbrook Community Water System (60 residences) and Pennichuck’s Drew Woods System (507 residences). Pennichuck also extended a seasonal connection to its Drew Woods system to their Hi Lo system near the Island Pond area. Water Source/Plant(s) Used – Manchester WW, See Service Area Map Number of Domestic Services – The Derry municipal Water Works System has 4,047 direct domestic connections plus another 808 indirect connections to the Pennichuck system and in 2010 the average annual municipal usage per day was 1.39 million gallons. In 2002 Derry’ largest user, Sanmina (formerly Hadco) closed. At the time Sanmina represented 25 percent of Derry’s total municipal water demand. In 2010, the largest non-residential customer is Parkland Medical Center which uses 25 less than 2 percent of all water consumed. Future Plans –Derry’s Water System Capital Improvement Plan includes a 2014 municipal water system expansion in its high service zone 3 by constructing a 3.25 MGD groundwater storage tank off Warner Hill and extending water service along Floyd and Lawrence Roads and along Route 28/Route 28 By-Pass south to Humphrey Rd. Derry’s 20-year plan also includes future expansion in its high service zone 2 including a 1.5 MGD groundwater storage tank off English Range Road and expanded service to the Pingree Hill area.

DRAFT 12-10

Goffstown Service Area - Goffstown has three different water systems: Goffstown Village, Grasmere, and Pinardville. The Pinardville section extends along Mast Road, to the Hillsborough County facility, forming a triangle with Plummer Road and St. Anslem Drive with an eastern border of the Piscataquog River. The Grasmere system extends down Mast Road from Henry Bridge Road to the Shell Station one mile to the west, and includes Center Street, Mountain View School, Juniper Drive, Condo on Locust Hill, and Goffstown Back Road to the Village of Glens Falls. The Goffstown Village Precinct encompasses the downtown area and surrounding residential developments. Expansion and Improvements since 2005 – The Village Precinct replaces 1,000 to 2,000 feet of water pipes annually. MWW has added 16,847 feet of water main and 187 service connections primarily in the Lynchville and Danis Park areas along the Piscataquog River. Water Source/Plant(s) Used – The Goffstown Village Water Precinct obtains water from two water impoundments 1.5 miles south of the Village on Whittle Brook. Goffstown also has established several wellhead protection areas in which the dumping or disposal of solid waste, chemical waste, or wastewater is prohibited. MWW supplies the Pinardville area on a franchise basis and the Grasmere area on a wholesale basis. See Service Area Map. Number of Domestic Services – Pinardville accounts for 1,506 domestic, while the Grasmere Village Water Precinct approximates 500 connections. The Village Precinct has 1,100 connections, with six municipal connections and the majority of the rest being residential. Future Plans – Grasmere: If a proposed development of 270 homes and a mobile home park on Carroll Hill Road is approved, the system will expand down Goffstown Back Road to serve another 400 customers; Village: None. MWW have growth areas along the Route 114 and Mast Road commercial corridors. Hooksett Service Area – Hooksett has three independent water systems. The Hooksett Village system encompasses the area surrounding Hooksett Village and surrounding area around Route 3 and 3A toward Exit 10. Southern Hooksett is serviced by MWW and covers the 3A corridor to I-93. The Central Hooksett Precinct goes from Zapora Road to Shannon Road along Route 3. See Service Area Map. Expansion and Improvements since 2005 – The Village Precinct added the River Hill multi-family housing development with 44 units. No new developments to Central. MWW has added 1,620 feet of water main and 32 service connections.

DRAFT 12-11

Water Source/Plant(s) Used – Southern Hooksett is served by a MWW franchise, Central Hooksett purchases water from MWW, and the Hooksett Village obtains water from two wells by Pinnacle Pond. The Town of Hooksett is currently working with the Hooksett Village Precinct to protect these wells through a Wellhead Protection Program. Number of Domestic Services – MWW: 779; Central Hooksett: 1,300; Hooksett Village: 841. Future Plans – The Village Precinct plans to provide water service to several future developments along Route 3, including Manchester Sand and Gravel, Webster Common, and condominiums. Granite Heights will be a major new condominium development on Shannon Road in Central Hooksett. MWW expects considerable growth along 3A at Exit 10. Londonderry Service Area – Londonderry has three water systems served by Manchester Water Works, PWW, and Derry Municipal Water System. MWW serves the northern third of the town, encompassing the area south of the airport through Harvey Road, Mammoth Road, Rockingham Road, Auburn Road, and Old Derry Road to the east. PWW serves most of the central and southern developed portions of town, and Derry Municipal Water System services a small area on the Derry-Londonderry line east of Route 93. Expansion and Improvements since 2005 – West end of Litchfield Road and in central Londonderry off Pillsbury Road. MWW has added 5,783 feet of water main and 12 service connections. Water Source/Plant(s) Used – The northern portion franchises water from MWW, the southern portion of town franchises water from PWW, which obtains water from MWW in a wholesale agreement, and the area along the Derry- Londonderry town line is served by Derry Municipal Water System which obtains water from MWW. Number of Domestic Services – MWW: 504 domestic services; PWW: 1480, and Derry Municipal Water System: 12. Future Plans – Expansion of system in south Londonderry. MWW expects growth in the commercial area south of the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport as well as the Rockingham Road area near I-93 at Exit 5. Manchester Service Area – City of Manchester and abutting areas of five surrounding Towns of Auburn, Bedford, Goffstown, Hooksett, and Londonderry.

DRAFT 12-12

Expansion and Improvements since 2005 – MWW has added 50,963 feet of water main, 325 new domestic services, 122 fire services, and 43 public fire hydrants between 2005 and 2009 in the City of Manchester. In 2006 MWW completed a 28 million dollar upgrade to its treatment facility at Lake Massabesic to meet current and anticipated federal regulations. Additional 1 million gallons of distribution water storage was constructed in 2009 off Countryside Bvld. in west Manchester. Water Source/Plant(s) Used – The source of water supply for the city is Massabesic Lake in Manchester and Auburn. It is expected that water demand will exceed the safe yield from the lake by 2015-2020. This water is currently treated at the Lake Shore Road Treatment Plant in Manchester. Number of Domestic Services – Manchester Water Works provides 31,018 domestic services and 1,589 fire services to Manchester and the other communities it serves. There are a total of 26,752 domestic services provided in Manchester alone. Future Plans – The Manchester Water Works is currently conducting a study on the Merrimack River, with initial findings suggesting that the Merrimack River could serve as a supplemental water source with proper treatment. Other infrastructure improvements include annual replacement and upgrades of water mains, pump stations, and storage reservoirs. Planned expansion of the current service area will be adequate to address new developments over the next ten years. These projects may include commercial development near the new Airport Access Road in Bedford and south Manchester, condominiums off Hackett Hill Road, and residential development in the Crystal Lake and Wellington Road areas. Raymond Service Area – Raymond Water Department is a municipal system encompassing the village center and surrounding developed areas. Other small, private systems are served by Pennichuck or individual wells in developed areas. The largest of these include Green Hills Estates on Route 107 and Leisure Village Mobile Home Park on Route 27. Expansion and Improvements since 2005 – None. Water Source/Plant(s) Used – The Raymond water system obtains water from three wells along the Lamprey River. Raymond also has a Groundwater Protection District, which serves as an overlay district and includes the areas around the wells as part of the Town’s Wellhead Protection Program. This district exists around the well near the Lamprey School and around the well at the end of Cider Ferry Road. Pennichuck provides service to small, private systems in which developers pay the cost of an extension, but not the overall capital costs.

DRAFT 12-13

Number of Domestic Services – 800 domestic services, the majority of which are residential, serving 2,500 individuals. Future Plans – The town has allocated $1.5 million for a new well, including a new 750,000 gallon storage tank. The Capital Improvements Program for the Town includes annual appropriations for land acquisition for water supply as well as a new treatment facility. The Town also may work with Pennichuck to supply the Green Hills area once the proposed system expansion takes place. Weare Service Area – A small portion of the town center. Expansion and Improvements since 2005 – None. Water Source/Plant(s) Used – The town has six town-owned wells and four privately owned community systems for cluster homes or mobile homes. Most residents depend on individual wells. Number of Domestic Services – Five municipal connections and one residential connection. Future Plans – While the Town has no current plans for expansion, the Master Plan calls for a feasibility study in 2010 to expand the water system.

DRAFT 12-14

Public Sewer Systems Proper waste disposal is a high priority for municipalities in recent years, both from an environmental and economic perception. Strategic placement of sewer service is a significant driver of economic development. It is also important to protect the environment and local drinking water supply and recreation areas. More businesses and home owners are aware that septic tanks, whether individual or shared, require large plots of land and regular maintenance (pumping every three years). Low Impact Development (LID) and Best Management Practices (BMPs) help to reduce the negative impacts associated with leaking septic systems, but in the future it might be practical to look at small scale sewer systems or linking to larger systems in order to reduce the amount of resources needed to sustain population growth. By far the largest municipal sewer system in the region is provided by the City of Manchester. Manchester provides sewer services to the towns of Bedford, Londonderry, Goffstown, and Hooksett. Currently the towns of Auburn, Candia, Chester, Deerfield, New Boston, and Raymond do not have municipal sewer systems. All buildings and dwellings within these towns have either private or shared septic tanks for wastewater. The following map shows the consolidated service area of all the public sever systems in the region.

±

Ma

p #

8

Sew

er S

ervi

ce

Sew

er L

ines

Sew

er S

ervi

ce A

reas

Polit

ical

Bou

ndar

ies

Stre

ams

Riv

ers/

Lak

es

Roads

Inte

rsta

te H

ighw

ays

Stat

e R

oute

s

Maj

or R

oads

02

41

Mile

s

Dat

a So

urce

s:G

rani

t Dig

ital D

ata

(1:2

4,00

0)N

H D

epar

tmen

t of T

rans

porta

tion

2009

Sew

er S

ervi

ce D

ata

from

:To

wn

of A

ubur

nTo

wn

of B

edfo

rdTo

wn

of C

andi

aTo

wn

of C

hest

erTo

wn

of D

eerfi

eld

Tow

n of

Der

ryTo

wn

of G

offs

tow

n To

wn

of H

ooks

ett

The

indi

vidu

al m

unic

ipal

ities

rep

rese

nted

on

this

map

an

d th

e S

NH

PC

mak

e no

repr

esen

tatio

ns o

r gua

rant

ees

to th

e ac

cura

cy o

f the

feat

ures

and

des

igna

tions

of t

his

map

.

This

map

is p

repa

red

for p

lann

ing

purp

oses

onl

y an

d is

not

to b

e us

ed fo

r leg

al b

ound

ary

dete

rmin

atio

ns

or fo

r reg

ulat

ory

purp

oses

.

Map

Pro

duce

d b

y G

IS S

ervi

ce S

NH

PC

Jun

e 20

10.

Con

tact

: SN

HP

C, g

is@

snhp

c.or

g or

(603

) 669

-466

4

Reg

iona

l Com

phre

nsiv

e P

lan

!"b#$

!"b#$

AÍ

Aä

AÍ

AÐ

Ij

?º

%&d'(

Aä?Æ

Aa

?§

?§Aû

?Æ

Aí

AÐAÖ

?́?̧

?À

AÖ

?̧

Aö

Loca

tion

Map

Tow

n of

Lon

dond

erry

City

of M

anch

este

rTo

wn

of N

ew B

osto

nTo

wn

of R

aym

ond

Tow

n of

Wea

re

DRAFT 12-16

Town Sewer System Inventory Bedford Service Area – District I of the sewer system serves the Route 3 corridor, Constitution Drive and the Bedford Village Inn. District II serves a small area south of Worthley Road and along Constance Road and Garden Party Lane. Expansion and Improvements since 2005 – None. Treatment Plant(s) Used – The Manchester Wastewater Treatment facility processes wastewater. Number of Accounts – Bedford has 120 connections served by a municipal sewer system, with 85 percent of these being commercial and light industrial. Future Plans – Proposed expansions to the sewer system include an extension down County Road to the intersection with Nashua Road at the location of the new high school as well as a possible extension for a health club at the corner of Donald Street and Route 114. These extensions are located outside of the Town’s Sewer District will require that the Town purchase additional treatment capacity from the MWW. Derry Service Area – The service area encompasses Derry Village and West Derry west of Route 28 By-Pass, including Beaver Lake as well as a segment of Route 102 and the area south of Route 102 in Londonderry. The Derry WWTP also services the Town of Londonderry primarily its southern area through their Action Blvd. and Gilcrest Pump Stations. Expansion and Improvements since 2005 – In 2005 Derry extended municipal sewer service to a new elementary school off Scenic Drive and an existing school off Drury Lane in Sunset Acres. Also included was Brookview Drive (Barkland Acres area) and Bradford Street (Sunset Acres area). In 2008 municipal sewer was extended along Route 28-Rockingham Road from Bradford to Birch St. and along Upstone Lane (Sunset Acres area). From 2006 to 2008 Derry upgraded its WWTP treated wastewater effluent discharge capacity to the Merrimack River by replacing 2,500 ft of gravity main in Litchfield and 2,500 ft of force main and a new intermittent Booster Pump Station in Londonderry as well as a new effluent pumping station at the WWTP. This increased Derry’s pumping capacity to six MGD.

A sludge lagoon for wastewater treatment in Derry

DRAFT 12-17

Treatment Plant(s) Used – The Derry WWTP is a facultative aerated lagoon system located off I93 at the Derry-Londonderry Town line. The Plant provides secondary biological treatment for up to four MGD Number of Accounts – The system has 3,061 connections, serving approximately 1/3 of Derry’s land area and an estimated 50 percent of its population. Future Plans – Derry’s WW Facilities Capital Improvement Plan proposes a municipal sewer expansion in 2014 to the Sunset Acres and Maple Hills area as well as along Route 28/Route 28 By-Pass from Berry Road to West Running Brook. The 20-year CIP also proposes municipal sewer expansion to Barkland Acres north of Beaver Lake and to the Rainbow Lake area. Derry will also be assessing its available treatment plant capacity in light of Londonderry’s Woodmont Orchards Development proposal and possible Exit 4A construction. A future upgrade will likely be required. Hooksett Service Area – The Hooksett municipal sewer system serves South Hooksett, Hooksett Village, and the central portion of town between the two. Expansion and Improvements since 2005 – None. Treatment Plant(s) Used – The town owns a secondary wastewater treatment facility on the east bank of the Merrimack River near the center of town. Number of Accounts – The system serves approximately 3,350 connections with 7 industrial, 284 commercial, and 3,059 residential hook ups. Future Plans –Hooksett currently faces a situation in which its wastewater treatment plan is operating at full capacity, which causes a severe shortage of sewer connections in the town and no new residential connections. While Hooksett has ideas for a new treatment facility, the town is currently in limbo with the state for approval, causing development roadblocks. Goffstown Service Area – The service area extends from Goffstown Village to areas adjacent to Route 114 and Pinardville, the Riverview Park neighborhood, Mooseclub Park, Knoll Crest Drive, and Pine Ridge Street Expansion and Improvements since 2005 – Across from River View Park, Mooseclub Park (behind Shaw’s), and the Knoll Crest Development encompassing 75 homes on Knoll Crest Drive and Pine Ridge Street. The sewer main on Mast Road has been enlarged to correct capacity issues limiting commercial development along the Mast Road corridor.

DRAFT 12-18

Treatment Plant(s) Used – The municipal sewer system contains a pretreatment program, four pumping stations, and 30 miles of collection systems in town. Number of Accounts – There are approximately 2,000 accounts, with most being residential. Future Plans – Future plans for expansion include the developments of Lynchville, Danas Park, the Hermsdorf neighborhood, the Shirley Park neighborhood and Morgan Estates by Danis Park. Londonderry Service Area – Londonderry has a municipal sewer system that encompasses the industrial area south of Manchester Airport, ending approximately at Burton Drive and Aviation Park Drive. Other areas of service include Mammoth Road, Grenderfield Road, Rockingham Road (Route 28), and the Route 28 extension from 128 to I-93. Expansion and Improvements since 2005 – A new pump station has been connected to schools and residential area and system extensions have been added off of Constitution Drive, with eventual connections to Derry. Treatment Plant(s) Used – The system includes four pumping stations. The northern two -- the Plaza 28 pumping station and the Mammoth Road pumping station (built in 2002)—transfer water to the Manchester Wastewater Treatment Facility via the Cohas Brook Interceptor. The southern two stations—Charleston Avenue and Action Boulevard—pump waste to the Derry treatment plant. Number of Accounts – There are approximately 1,161 connections. Future Plans – A wastewater facility plan shows an upgrade of pumping stations and expansion on both sides of Route 102 east of Route 128 in the southern section of town in 2008 or later. The Town also plans to expand sewer lines down Pettengill Road toward the new Airport Access Road.1 Manchester Service Area – The entire City of Manchester, except for the extreme northeast, southeast, and northwest corners are served by municipal wastewater. Expansion and Improvements since 2005 – Phase I of the Cohas Interceptor was recently completed to extend the city’s sewer system from the treatment plant east towards the Crystal Lake area, terminating at I-93.

1 All information from Londonderry from Daniel O’Toole, Londonderry Public Works Department, and

the Town of Londonderry Wastewater Facilities Plan Update, January 2005.

DRAFT 12-19

Treatment Plant(s) Used – The City of Manchester has over 300 miles of public sewers and a treatment plant that processes 34 million gallons per day, including the wastewater of many surrounding communities. Purified wastewater is released into the Merrimack River and sludge is burned. Number of Accounts – The system serves approximately 22,000 connections in Manchester, representing 46,030 units of residential, commercial, and industrial. Future Plans – Phase II of the Cohas Interceptor project will extend the Phase I project to Industrial Park Drive and eventually Candia Road, with work expected to be completed by 2010. The City will also work towards eliminating Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) discharges in the Piscataquog and Merrimack Rivers as well as the Crescent Road basin. In addition, the City has recently retained a consultant to begin work on developing a new wastewater treatment facility plan to determine future expansion needs over the next 20 years. Weare Service Area – While the majority of residents and businesses use septic tanks serviced and treated by private companies, the Town of Weare has a small municipal system located in the town’s center consisting of approximately ½ mile of cement-lined ductile iron 8-inch mains. Expansion and Improvements since 2005 – None. Treatment Plant(s) Used – Wastewater from this system goes to a treatment system consisting of a 14,000-gallong septic tank, a 9,000 gallon tank, a leach field, and an aeration chamber located east of the village center at the base of Mt. William. There is also a 6,000-gallon storage tank connected to the wet well which is used in the event of pump failure. Number of Accounts – With 23 connections (five public, the remainder residential), the system is under its capacity of 22,000 gallons per day (gpd), but the system is also designed so that it could be expanded to 33,930 gpd. Future Plans – The Town’s immediate future plans include the possible expansion of the sewer system to include the middle school. The Master Plan calls for a feasibility study in 2010 to expand the sewer system.

DRAFT 12-20

Septage Disposal While denser developed parts of the region have public sewer, many towns within the region have residences and/or businesses connected to individual or shared on-site septic systems. Individual or community septic systems in the short term are the most efficient and cost-effective solution to wastewater treatment needs. Approximately every three years these tanks must be pumped to dispose of the septage. Landowners must contract private haulers to remove their septage; there are no municipalities within the region that currently offer septage disposal as a public service. The following towns have agreements in which private haulers dump over six million gallons of septage annually at the state licensed Septage Receiving Facility in Manchester: Auburn, Bedford, Candia, Goffstown, Londonderry, and Manchester. Private haulers from Chester, New Boston, and Weare arrange to dispose of septage according to company policy, with haulers in Auburn, Candia and Chester often disposing of septage in Manchester. Haulers in Weare and New Boston also often dispose at a private facility in Weare or to the Allenstown facility. Deerfield’s haulers dispose of septage in Concord, Hooksett haulers have an agreement to dispose in Allenstown. Derry also has an Intermunicipal Agreement with Allenstown to receive its septage. Derry’s haulers also dispose septage to the Greater Lawrence Treatment Plant under an informal agreement on a limited availability and first come first served basis. ,Derry allows its local haulers who service Derry residents to use the WWTP area as a septage transfer station. Smaller septage trucks pump out Derry tanks and dispose of the septage in larger tanker trucks at the WWTP. The local haulers hire contractors to run the larger tankers to other facilities. and Raymond’s haulers dispose in Haverhill. The costs of these services, which can be in the hundreds of dollars, rest upon home and business owners. Table 2 below identifies the treatment plants municipalities control for septage treatment. Also provided is the current status of each municipal septage ordinance for treatment. It appears that many of the region’s town ordinances will be expiring soon or within the next several years.

DRAFT 12-21

Table 2 - Septage Disposal Sites and Town Responsibility

Town Treatment Plant(s) Used Status/Expiration Auburn Manchester WWTF

Allenstown WWTF Ordinance 10/31/2012

Bedford Manchester WWTF Ordinance Candia Manchester WWTF Ordinance Chester Allenstown WWTF 1/1/2012

Deerfield Concord WWTP 6/30/2013 Derry Allenstown WWTF 1/1/2012

Goffstown Manchester WWTF Ordinance Hooksett Allenstown WWTF 7/15/2010

Londonderry Manchester WWTF Ordinance Manchester Manchester WWTF N/A New Boston Allenstown WWTF 1/1/2012

Raymond Hampton WWTF Ordinance Weare Allenstown WWTF 1/1/2012

WWTF = Wastewater Treatment Facility; WWTP = Wastewater Treatment Plant Source: NH DES, Data One Stop, December 2009 Stormwater Polluted stormwater runoff is the most significant source of pollution to the nearly 40 percent of surveyed U.S. water bodies that do not meet water quality standards2. To address this issue, and in response to the Clean Water Act (CWA) amended in 1987, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater Program in 1990. Phase I of the program addressed the most threatening sources of stormwater: large municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) and industrial activities. Phase II, implemented in 1999 required permit coverage for stormwater discharge from small MS4s and construction activities of smaller scales than those covered by Phase I.

Within the SNHPC region, the following towns are under MS4 regulations for medium or small municipal separate storm sewer systems: Manchester, Hooksett, Auburn, Chester, Derry, Londonderry, Bedford, and Goffstown. These towns must abide by stormwater ordinances and regulations as promulgated by the EPA. The following towns had been required to develop construction and post-construction stormwater programs to control construction site runoff by 2008: Auburn, Bedford, Derry, Goffstown, Hooksett, Londonderry, and Manchester. All of these systems qualified as small or regulated small MS4s under Phase II.

Construction projects are subject to NPDES permits, with projects affecting more than five acres qualifying as Phase I and projects affecting one to five acres qualifying as 2 Environmental Protection Agency, Polluted Runoff, www.epa.gov/owow/NPS/Section319II/intro.html

DRAFT 12-22

Phase II. Phase II projects can claim exemption to the permits on conditions of low predicted rainfall on the site, an approved Total Maximum Daily Load, or an Equivalent Analysis that ensures that pollutants are being treated by alternate means. EPA serves as the permitting authority for all Phase I and Phase II permitting grants in New Hampshire, such that all questions and applications should be directed to the EPA. All of the towns in the region some form of site plan and subdivision regulations or zoning Overlay Districts with special performance standards or restrictions for stormwater management. Chester, Derry, and Hooksett also have Groundwater Protection Districts. Bedford also has adopted the Merrimack River Shoreland Protection Performance Standards within 250' of the river, and Goffstown and Londonderry have Wetland Conservation Districts that include the protection of groundwater and aquifers. The regulations for most of these districts are in accordance with the Stormwater Management and Erosion and Sediment Control Handbook for Urban and Developing Areas in New Hampshire, published in 2002, and includes prohibitions against dumping wastewater, chemicals, or solid waste in these zones. In addition many of these towns have public education campaigns to encourage the safe disposal of hazardous materials to prevent their leakage into the MS4. Manchester has a Stormwater Ordinance accompanied by Rules and Regulations that stipulate all construction projects and industrial activities must have a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan registered and sealed by a professional engineer. Their ordinance prohibits dumping or storage of wastes and hazardous materials into the MS4, including the streets, curbsides, and drainage areas. The rules also prohibit pollution of buffer zones around surface waters and excavation of ground material near an MS4. New research on stormwater management can be easily integrated into new developments, regardless of whether or not the development requires a NPDES permit. Towns can adopt zoning regulations that mandate stormwater management methods for new developments or encourage these additions through incentives. The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services put together a new manual for Stormwater Management to be used as a planning and design tool for the communities, developers, designers and members of regulatory boards, commissions, and agencies involved in stormwater programs in New Hampshire.

The manual presents antidegradation provision with respect to controlling water quality impacts due to stormwater discharges, and provides an introduction to the non-structural and structural measures for managing stormwater. It also moves in to post-construction best management practices applicable for use in New Hampshire for the prevention, control, and treatment of stormwater, and ways to prevent adverse impacts to water resources as a result of land-disturbance activities.

To download a copy visit the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services here: http://des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/stormwater/manual.htm

DRAFT 12-23

Another tactic is utilizing clustered subdivisions by employing techniques of low-impact development (LID) that can significantly reduce stormwater runoff pollution and thereby protect the region’s valuable water supply. Through minimizing impervious surfaces, decentralizing stormwater runoff, preserving open space, and incorporating natural systems, LID stormwater management practices offer an effective and money-saving solution to stormwater management. Municipalities can add regulations that require new developments to minimize impervious surfaces and employ other LID techniques. Recently, reconstruction of NH Route 114 in Goffstown was a success story performed in December of 2010 taking key tools from the Stormwater Management and Erosion and Sediment Control Handbook in hopes to reduce stormwater runoff. The Town installed, along the major thoroughfare through Goffstown, porous pavement, perforated drainage pipes, and natural stream channels. This project became the first to install such methods to mitigate flooding along a state highway.

NH Route 11 in Goffstown, porous pavement

Parking lots, such as this one in Bedford, demonstrate the need for stormwater management.

Ma

p #

9

MS4

Are

as

MS4

Are

as*

Tow

n lin

e

Stre

ams

Riv

ers/

Lak

es

Inte

rsta

te H

ighw

ays

Stat

e R

oute

s

Maj

or R

oads

Loca

l Roa

ds

02

41

Mile

s

Dat

a So

urce

s:G

rani

t Dig

ital D

ata

(1:2

4,00

0)N

H D

epar

tmen

t of T

rans

porta

tion

SN

HP

CU

S E

PA

- N

ew E

ngla

nd

The

indi

vidu

al m

unic

ipal

ities

rep

rese

nted

on

this

map

an

d th

e S

NH

PC

mak

e no

repr

esen

tatio

ns o

r gua

rant

ees

to th

e ac

cura

cy o

f the

feat

ures

and

des

igna

tions

of t

his

map

.

This

map

is p

repa

red

for p

lann

ing

purp

oses

onl

y an

d is

not

to b

e us

ed fo

r leg

al b

ound

ary

dete

rmin

atio

ns

or fo

r reg

ulat

ory

purp

oses

.

Map

Pro

duce

d b

y G

IS S

ervi

ce S

NH

PC

Jun

e 20

10.

Con

tact

: SN

HP

C, g

is@

snhp

c.or

g or

(603

) 669

-466

4

!"b#$

!"b#$

AÍ

Aä

AÍ

AÐ

Ij

?º

%&d'(

Aä?Æ

Aa

?§

?§Aû

?Æ

Aí

AÐAÖ

?́?̧

?À

AÖ

?̧Aö

Loca

tion

Map±

*The

regu

late

d ar

ea is

bas

ed o

n Ce

nsus

20

00 U

rban

ized

Are

as.

Reg

iona

l Com

phre

nsiv

e P

lan

DRAFT 12-25

Solid Waste Most towns in the region provide solid waste services composed of a combination of private hauling services and solid waste transfer systems, many of which also serve as recycling centers. The towns with private trash haulers are Bedford, Candia, Chester, Deerfield, Derry, New Boston, and Weare. Hooksett, Londonderry, Manchester, and Raymond have municipal services to collect solid waste. Solid waste is carried to local transfer stations, with a station located in each municipality. Most towns send their waste to private landfills or solid waste treatment facilities located outside of the region. Recyclables, metals, woods, and other sorted waste are distributed accordingly throughout the state and region. Recycling has become an important component of municipal solid waste programs to defer the transfer costs for solid waste. The following towns have mandatory recycling programs: Auburn, Candia, Chester, Derry, Goffstown, New Boston, and Weare. Due to its strengthening mandatory recycling program, Chester was able to achieve a net profit of $36 in 2004 from recyclables, with 39 percent of its total solid waste being recycled. The remaining towns have voluntary recycling programs (Bedford, Raymond, Deerfield, Hooksett, Manchester, and Londonderry). The towns that do not currently have mandatory programs cite the costs of regulation and enforcement as impediments, or in the case of Raymond, give monetary incentive to residents to recycle. In 2005, the Town of Raymond instituted a “pay as you throw” solid waste program that has reduced trash volume by 61 percent. Under this system, residents pay $2 per bag of solid waste to a hauler contracted by the town that collects and sorts recyclables at no charge. Residents also have the option of paying private haulers, who charge for recyclables. Even at the start of this program, the town was saving thousands of dollars and bringing in enough revenue to almost match the costs of disposal, which results in tax reductions for residents. This type of program, where residents are financially rewarded for recycling solid waste, leads to economic and environmental benefits for the community. Hazardous Waste All towns in the region except Deerfield also have organized hazardous waste collections on a biennial, annual, or semi-annual basis, either individually or in collaboration with neighboring towns. Typical material selected includes paint (oil based), aerosols, resins and adhesives, pesticides, asbestos/coal tars, batteries, acids, bases, florescent bulbs, antifreeze, used oil, gasoline, TVs, mercury devices, and propane tanks. As illustrated in Table 4, hazardous waste collection can be costly for municipalities. The Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission, in conjunction with the Department of Environmental Services, is considering an initiative to establish a regional hazardous waste collection system. Under the proposed system, the thirteen towns of the region would be assigned to one of four geographically centered collection sites, with

DRAFT 12-26

hazardous waste collected on an annual or semi-annual basis. The SNHPC hopes to reduce costs of hazardous waste collection through this regional approach. The State of New Hampshire currently offers a Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) grant program twice a year. This grant offers up to half the cost of collection for the communities served. The grant deadlines are January 15 and July 15, and applications can be obtained from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services at www.state.nh.us/des/planning/hhw.htm. It is hoped that this source of funding can be used to establish this regional system. Table 3 - Operating solid waste disposal sites

Town Facility Name Type Ownership Owner

Auburn Auburn Transfer Station Tr/Coll/Stor Private Waste Management of

NH

Bedford Bedford Transfer Station Tr/Coll/Stor Public Town of Bedford

Candia Candia Transfer Station Tr/Coll/Stor Public Town of Candia

Chester Chester Transfer Station Tr/Coll/Stor Public Town of Chester

Deerfield Deerfield Transfer Station Tr/Coll/Stor Public Town of Deerfield

Derry Derry Transfer Station Tr/Coll/Stor Public Town of Derry

Goffstown Goffstown Transfer Station Tr/Coll/Stor Public Town of Goffstown

Hooksett Allied Waste Recycling and Processing Center Tr/Coll/Stor Private Allied Waste

Recycling Services

Hooksett Transfer

Station and Recycling Center

Tr/Coll/Stor Public Town of Hooksett

Londonderry Londonderry Drop Off Center Tr/Coll/Stor Public N/A

RMG Enterprise, Inc. Processing Private Robert Gallinaro

Manchester Advanced Recycling TS Tr/Coll/Stor Private Prolerized New

England Company B Rovner Company Tr/Coll/Stor Private B. Rovner, Co, Inc.

J. Schwartz Motor Transportation Tr/Coll/Stor Private J. Schwartz Motor

Transportation Inc.

Manchester Drop off Facility Tr/Coll/Stor Public City of Manchester

New Cor Material Recovery Facility Tr/Coll/Stor Private

Corcoran Environmental Service, Inc.

New Boston New Boston Transfer Station Tr/Coll/Stor Public Town of New Boston

Raymond Raymond Transfer Station Tr/Coll/Stor Public Town of Raymond

DRAFT 12-27

Weare Weare Transfer Station and Recycling Tr/Coll/Stor Public Town of Weare

Electricity Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH) and New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC) are the two primary electricity providers for the region. PSNH is the largest supplier with service in all 13 municipalities. PSNH serves 497,000 residential and commercial customers throughout the state, with headquarters in Manchester. PSNH offers three-phase power for use in commercial and industrial operations to all towns in the SNHPC region, with availability varying based on the location within the town. Parts of Deerfield, Raymond, Chester, Candia, Auburn, Derry, and Londonderry are also supplied by New Hampshire Electric Cooperative, a member-owned electricity cooperative serving 75,000 members across New Hampshire. NHEC maintains a district office in Raymond. The map below shows the approximate coverage of electrical service providers for the region. At present only a very small number of residents in the region use solar panels or other alternative energy sources for electricity. This could change in the future as the cost of fossil fuels continues to increase and energy conservation becomes more economical. Some towns, such as Raymond, Derry, and Auburn, require new developments to place electric utility lines underground. Improvements and Expansions PSNH has made developments to improve service to customers in the SNHPC region and across the state. The following are a few of the major improvements and expansions recently completed and currently in progress:

The Tioga Power Project, completed in 2005, added new transmission and distribution lines and a new substation to serve Bedford and Merrimack and to add capacity for future growth.

The East-West Energy Project, completed in 2008, involved the rebuild of a

transmission line and added new distribution lines and a new substation in Weare to serve local demand for power with capacity for future growth. This new substation serves over 7,200 customers predominately in the Dunbarton, Goffstown, New Boston, and Weare region.

PSNH has also added a number of substation power transformers at substations in

Deerfield and Manchester as well as numerous upgrades to transmission facilities and lines, all of which are part of PSNH’s continued commitment to meet New Hampshire’s increasing need for additional and reliable energy capacity.

DRAFT 12-28

PSNH is in the process of upgrading the electrical distribution system that serves the Derry/Londonderry region. This upgrade is needed to ensure that the local electric system can handle increased demand and future economic development in the region. It will include the complete rebuilding of PSNH’s Scobie Pond Distribution Substation in Londonderry, as well as the construction of additional distribution power lines. The Scobie Pond Distribution Substation is intended to serve approximately 4,500 PSNH customers and 1,400 NHEC customers primarily in the town of Derry, but also feeds customers in Auburn and Windham. The rebuilt substation will replace a 1960s-era substation with state-of-the-art equipment and technology.

Rebuilding the substation will allow PSNH to improve reliability by:

o Installing two new 30-megawatt transformers, to better support energy demand.

o Installing new equipment which will help to reduce animal-related outages.

o Increasing the capability of the substation to feed five distribution lines, with the ability to add a sixth line in order to better support customer load growth. The existing substation has only three lines.

PSNH expects to have the substation’s first transformer in service in June of 2011, and the second in service by the end of 2011, contingent upon receiving approval for all applicable siting, permitting, and regulatory requirements.

The Northern Pass transmission project aims to deliver competitively priced, low-

carbon power that will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; mitigate price volatility in the region’s energy market; and potentially help to avoid or defer the need to construct fossil fuel generation plants that would otherwise be required to produce an equivalent quantity of firm, reliable power. The construction and operation of The Northern Pass transmission project will create hundreds of quality, local jobs and provide significant tax benefits for the State and more than 30 New Hampshire communities. The project is currently in the planning and permitting stages, with construction scheduled to be completed in 2015.

DRAFT 12-29

Map 10 - Electric Service within the SNHPC region

DRAFT 12-30

Natural Gas Changing their name from Keyspan, Inc. to National Grid in early 2008, the company is the primary distributor of natural gas and propane to customers in southern and central New Hampshire, including the Greater Manchester area. The company has multiple rates and services as well as a service and dispatch center. In areas without natural gas systems, National Grid sells propane to over 10,000 customers at retail and wholesale prices and quantities. Manchester, Bedford, Londonderry, Goffstown, Hooksett, Auburn, and Derry are all within the natural gas service area and remaining towns can purchase propane from National Grid. Map 11: Natural Gas, Propane and Steam Utilities in NH

DRAFT 12-31

Communication Infrastructure Telephone FairPoint Communications (formerly Verizon) is now the primary telephone service provider for the SNHPC region. The company’s state headquarters, accounting operations for New Hampshire and Vermont, and the market area center are all located in Manchester. FairPoint serves a segment of this market that is less densely populated and is responsible for assuring reliable, high-quality telecommunications and broadband services. Granite State also provides phone service within the towns of Auburn, Chester, New Boston and Weare. The region is served by additional private long distance, cellular telephone, and voice mail services. All major carriers maintain service stations in Manchester, with availability and coverage in most parts of the region. Wireless communications are served by cell towers, which are located in every municipality of the region except for Deerfield. Concentration is higher along major interstates and state highways, although the past few years have witnessed increasing service even in rural areas of the region. The construction of new towers is a highly regulated issue for planning and zoning boards who mitigate between the increasing need for wireless services and the aesthetic preservation of the town. Chester, Derry, and Weare already have Telecommunications Overlay Districts while the remaining towns in the region encourage or mandate companies to use existing tower facilities rather than constructing new ones. Towers have setback, design, and zoning regulations. All towns should adopt strict regulations that force competing companies to cooperate on the use of telecommunications infrastructure and transmission structures in order to minimize impact to town and increase the efficiency of communications systems.

Hoyt cell tower in Chester.

i

ii

ii

iiiiii

iii

ii

iiii

ii

i

iii

ii

iii

iii

iii

ii

ii

ii

i

iiiiiiiiii

ii

iiii

ii

iiiiii

iiiii

ii

iii

ii

ii

ii

ii

ii

i

i

i

i

i

Ma

p #

12

Wir

eles

s Co

mm

unic

atio

n To

wer

s

iW

irel

ess

Com

mun

icat

ion

Tow

ers

Tow

n lin

e

Stre

ams

Riv

ers/

Lak

es

Inte

rsta

te H

ighw

ays

Stat

e R

oute

s

Maj

or R

oads

Loca

l Roa

ds

02

41

Mile

s

Dat

a So

urce

s:G

rani

t Dig

ital D

ata

(1:2

4,00

0)N

H D

epar

tmen

t of T

rans

porta

tion

SN

HP

C

The

indi

vidu

al m

unic

ipal

ities

rep

rese

nted

on

this

map

an

d th

e S

NH

PC

mak

e no

repr

esen

tatio

ns o

r gua

rant

ees

to th

e ac

cura

cy o

f the

feat

ures

and

des

igna

tions

of t

his

map

.

This

map

is p

repa

red

for p

lann

ing

purp

oses

onl

y an

d is

not

to b

e us

ed fo

r leg

al b

ound

ary

dete

rmin

atio

ns

or fo

r reg

ulat

ory

purp

oses

.

Map

Pro

duce

d b

y G

IS S

ervi

ce S

NH

PC

Jun

e 20

10.

Con

tact

: SN

HP

C, g

is@

snhp

c.or

g or

(603

) 669

-466

4

!"b#$

!"b#$

AÍ

Aä

AÍ

AÐ

Ij

?º

%&d'(

Aä?Æ

Aa

?§

?§Aû

?Æ

Aí

AÐAÖ

?́?̧

?À

AÖ

?̧Aö

Loca

tion

Map±

Reg

iona

l Com

phre

nsiv

e P

lan

DRAFT 12-33

Cable Television and Internet Private companies provide cable television and internet services throughout the region. In Manchester, dozens of cable and Internet providers offer residents and businesses a range of services and prices. The region is remarkably well-wired for Internet coverage, with even the small rural towns of Deerfield, Candia, and Weare having over 20 options for high-speed Internet, with more companies adding service monthly. Often, only one company will be a primary server for cable and Internet for smaller towns. AT&T Broadband serves Cable TV to most of Auburn, MetroCast Cablevision provides cable for all of Deerfield, Comcast is the primary cable provider for Manchester, and Media One provides cable TV and Internet for Raymond. The towns of Auburn, Bedford, Chester, Derry, Goffstown, Londonderry, Raymond, and Weare along with the City of Manchester all have Public Access Channels, while the Towns of Candia, Deerfield, Hooksett, and New Boston do not. The Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission is currently involved in the New Hampshire Broadband Mapping Program which aims to identify un-served and under-served areas in the state in terms of high speed internet. The program stems from the National Broadband Plan and utilizes the services of the nine regional planning commissions in the state, the University of New Hampshire, and GRANIT, the mapping agency for the state of New Hampshire, to obtain broadband information from the various locations. After thorough research with in our region the New Hampshire Broadband Mapping program has discovered that nearly 100% of the SNHPC region is covered by broadband ("broadband" has been defined by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration as a minimum of 768Kbps downstream and 200Kbps upstream). The following map shows the access New Hampshire has to broadband internet. However, while the region is adequately covered by broadband, fiber optics and the availability of higher internet speeds vary between communities. Recently, the Town of Derry discussed the existence of high speed fiber optics buried with cable lines in the downtown. Also in February of 2006, G4 Communications announced they had deployed a highly sophisticated fiber optic internet network throughout Southern New Hampshire. The OptiX Metro 1600 OC48/192 is a compact SONET platform that is part of a network expansion that integrates IP and TDM services within a single transport platform. The self-healing ring consists of OC-48 speeds and capable of delivering 80 wavelengths at 10 Gbps. The ring includes 7 sites and ensure full redundancy and connectivity through high-capacity fiber-optic cables, which connects to G4's Boston Ring in Massachusetts, and has the potential to increase the availability to higher internet speeds to much of the SNHPC region. Currently, Derry is the only community in the SNHPC region with G4 fiber optics going directly to downtown Boston.

DRAFT 12-34

Source: New Hampshire Broadband Mapping and Planning Program, December 2010.

DRAFT 12-35

Future Conditions Public utilities and communication are important lifelines for economic development in municipalities and the region. While to a certain extent residences can flourish with private wells and septic systems, businesses need larger-scale water, sewer, electricity, and communications systems to operate successfully. Furthermore, affordable housing often requires community or municipal water and sewer services. Frequently this is because of increased density. Currently, expanding the capacity of municipal water and sewer systems is costly. Towns and cities in the region should evaluate their public utilities needs for the future. Expansion to large scale systems Manchester, Derry, and Londonderry all have extensive sewer systems to meet the needs of their industrial, commercial, and dense residential areas. In Manchester, the vast majority of the city is connected to the sewer system while Derry and Londonderry have increased connections to reach newly developed areas. While these towns currently operate well, these systems are quickly approaching capacity and simultaneously face new development pressures as a result of the I-93 expansion. In conjunction with the I-93 widening, Manchester, Derry, and Londonderry need to examine the limitations of their current systems and the potential to handle future growth. Reaching new development Hooksett, Bedford, and Goffstown are experiencing rapid growth in the form of high-density housing developments and commercial businesses. Most of this growth can be accommodated through the expansion of current systems. However, there is a limit to this cost and the use of Tax Increment Financing can be used to help fund infrastructure improvements in these areas. Foreseeing growing pains Some of the region’s small towns, experiencing increasing population or business growth in the coming decades, may be wise to encourage dense development and install public utilities in these areas. Others in the region without municipal water or sewer may never have a need for a large-scale municipal water or sewer system, and these towns can recruit small-scale development accordingly. Weare, with very small water and sewer systems, addresses the needs of its limited high-density development without exceeding the scale of the town. Sewer and water systems As population growth continues and goals of economic development are realized, the region will face increased construction in rural areas without water or sewer systems. Currently, the standard for rural homes and businesses is to build on large lots that can accommodate private septic systems and wells. However, changing patterns of development involving office parks and clustered subdivisions (which allow for cost-efficient infrastructure) introduces challenges of sewage disposal and water service.

DRAFT 12-36

Fortunately, a variety of environmentally sensitive sewage options and communal water facilities can be implemented in rural areas with denser buildings. These options can be cost efficient and require minimal maintenance, yet they do require careful planning at the time of construction. All development sites should be mapped for environmentally sensitive features, developable land, aquifer locations and potential well sites, and soils adequate for sewage disposal. In the case of parcels with significant open space, areas buffered from the buildings can adequately serve as sewage and stormwater treatment sites. In the case of denser development in an area without a sewer system, some of the following options for on-site sewage systems may be pursued:

Common septic system with absorption trenches: This system involves larger, jointly owned absorption areas with either individual tanks or a large, common tank. In the case of limiting soil conditions, this system can be combined with sand filters, lagoons, or soil treatment mounts to treat discharge.

Soil treatment mounds: A shared mound system placed in a low-impact area and treats effluent as it drains through the mound. This system can be used in areas with bedrock, high groundwater, and compact clay soils.

Bioretention: This seasonal treatment option uses constructed wetlands, sand and grass filters, and shallow ponding to treat sewage.

Sand filters: Similar to soil treatment mounts, sand filters treat wastewater by filtering through the sand. However, these are either open or submerged rather than built-up.

Spray irrigation: This above-ground method pre-treats and then discharges wastewater to be absorbed by vegetation or crops. A slow rate approach uses wastewater to irrigate and fertilize crops where the overland flow method trickles wastewater down a vegetated slope of land into drainage channels. Both methods have been used successfully in New Hampshire. Spray irrigation treatment sites can include woodlands, agricultural fields, golf courses, and residential yards.

If a development is too far to be efficiently connected to a municipal water system, a community well is usually the best option for providing water to a larger population. The well should be located away from potential pollutants and roadways, and costs can be shared by residents and businesses. In the case of single family detached homes, private wells are still the most cost-effective solution. For all municipal or community wells, Wellhead Protection Programs should be in place to protect the water supply from pollution. All businesses have the potential to improve their utility systems to save money and reduce dependence on public resources. These include underground recycling compost for sewage and drip irrigation system for gray water (water from sinks and showers). As increases in alternative wastewater systems would profit towns through decreased water and sewer usage and treatment, municipalities should consider offering site plan review or other zoning incentives to businesses that include these plans with their application.

DRAFT 12-37

Municipalities can take additional steps to encourage creative water and sewer systems and to reduce municipal costs for providing these services. In towns with existing municipal sewer and water, developers should pay connection fees to join existing system. Municipalities can offer incentives to clustered subdivisions with plans that include common wells and septic systems, such as decreased regulations and streamlined approval. Clustered conservation subdivisions can significantly reduce additional infrastructure costs, thereby justifying the zoning incentives. Broadband Networks In addition to the mapping activities that are being provided in earlier steps, the New Hampshire Broadband Mapping & Planning Program (NHBMPP) includes a four-year planning component that will incorporate the information collected and the momentum generated by the mapping activities into regional broadband plans throughout New Hampshire. The planning activities will include the creation of broadband stakeholder groups who will focus on collecting and analyzing relevant information, identifying barriers to broadband deployment, promoting collaboration with service providers, and facilitating information sharing between the public and private sectors regarding the use of and demand for broadband services. Results from the NHBMPP will be integrated into a national broadband availability map, and will provide a solid foundation for future broadband deployment efforts at the state and national level. Concerns and Recommendations This section addresses some of the public utilities and communications challenges facing the SNHPC region. The largest concerns are the high cost of infrastructure construction to towns currently experiencing budgetary constraints. Each challenge is accompanied by recommendations for regional cooperation and action. Municipal Solid Waste Agreements Most of the towns in the region have transfer stations to collect, condense, and transfer the solid waste of the town. Due to an increase in trash tonnage and pay-per-ton disposal fee charged by solid waste treatment centers, solid waste disposal expenses in general have escalated. Larger transfer stations serving multiple towns are more cost-efficient, yet there is only one example of a shared facility in the region, the Waste Management Inc. facility in Auburn, which is owned and run by a private contractor. New Hampshire RSA 53-B:7 allows for solid waste management districts (SWMD) to build and operate solid waste facilities that serve multiple cities and towns. Under this statute, solid waste management districts received power delegated from member municipalities concerning solid waste regulations, and they can charge expenses to member towns. Solid waste management districts are also permitted to make special contracts or agreements with the municipality in which the facility is located that may grant special privileges to the host community, thereby offsetting any negative consequences of hosting the site. Finally the SWMD may accept solid waste generated

DRAFT 12-38

outside the boundaries of the district and may contract solid waste services with private companies. Municipalities in the SNHPC who enact a SWMD can build upon successful solid waste systems in the region while cutting infrastructure costs. New transfer stations that utilize carefully planning on a regional level can avoid problems of noise and pollution. Transfer stations can be constructed in existing industrial areas or include mandatory buffer zones to reduce the impact on residents. Mandatory recycling programs can significantly curtail the amount of waste that the town has to pay to dispose of. Towns should look into the benefits of curbside recycling pick up, which may end up saving money if the town can convert their percentage of waste recycled versus disposed through conventional means. Municipalities also might consider composting facilities on a town or regional level, which will also decrease the total weight of solid waste. At a minimum, school cafeterias and local restaurants can start small-scale composting of food waste. Local agricultural operators may use this compost to fertilize their crops. Underground utilities New subdivisions require extensive infrastructure. Many municipalities already mandate that new developments must install underground utilities, furthering the expense of the installation to developers. Municipalities can create regulations that require joint trenching techniques in utility corridors for all utilities, including electricity, water, sewer, natural gas, cable, and telephone. Doing so will save time and money for installation, and corridors can be easily accessible for repair. This technique requires communication between utility companies, which can add to the efficiency of the system. Clustered conservation developments Trends toward clustered subdivisions and multi-family developments mean a greater percentage of residents in suburban and rural areas need a shared water system. In many cases, condominium owners do not have expertise to manage a small private water system. Local and regional officials can develop a plan with Manchester Water Works and Pennichuck Water Service Co. to purchase small scale water systems in existing developments and to contract services out to new developments. Under these arrangements, the systems will still be financed privately by the residents or condominium association but will be operated by a large scale operator. The guidelines of the plan should be streamlined and user-friendly so as to encourage developers and condominium owners to take advantage of this opportunity. Stormwater pollution Runoff from parking lots, roadways, and other developed surfaces is the largest source of water pollution in the nation. While the water supply in the SNHPC region is currently safe, proper management of stormwater in the years ahead can prevent costly clean-up in the future. The UNH Stormwater Center studied the effects of multiple stormwater treatment options in the first comparative study of its kind in New Hampshire.

DRAFT 12-39

In the first year of the study, researchers determined that layering soils and plants in a gravel wetland unit is very effective in minimizing pollution to nearby waterways or aquifers. The wetland does not freeze due to compost in the soil. Other methods tested include:

Surface sand filters Retention Ponds Bioretention units Aqua Swirl and Aqua Filter Systems Storm Drift Manhole Refit Vegetated Swale Porous Asphalt Pavement Tree Box Filter

Methods vary in efficacy depending on the volume, scale, location, and type of road or parking lot. All systems can be viewed in action at the UNH Durham campus. More information on these methods can be found at the UNH Stormwater Center website: http://www.unh.edu/erg/cstev/. Low Impact Development Another approach to managing stormwater in New Hampshire is Low impact development (LID). Unlike conventional stormwater management, which focuses on piping stormwater away from a site to large centralized stormwater treatment areas, LID focuses on controlling stormwater by using small, decentralized methods to treat stormwater close to the source. The primary goals of LID are accomplished through LID site planning and LID treatment practices. LID site planning reduces the amount of stormwater generated on a site through source control and protection of the site’s existing hydrologic features, such as topography, vegetated buffers, wetlands, floodplains and high-permeability soils. Once LID site planning has been used to minimize the amount of stormwater generated on the site, site-level, decentralized LID treatment practices are used to treat any stormwater runoff that resulted from development. LID treatment practices are typically designed as open, vegetated systems that rely on plants and their root systems as well as permeable soils to slow the flow of water and encourage infiltration and filtration. This reduces both the velocity and volume of stormwater, as well as provides treatment of stormwater pollutants. LID treatment practices can be used in existing development and can also be used in redevelopment projects to improve existing stormwater management. In redevelopment situations, LID focuses on minimizing and disconnecting existing impervious surfaces and implementing LID treatment practices for water quality, where feasible (Source: New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Environmental Fact Sheet). Communication hub Verizon’s major switching hub in Manchester is a weak point in the state’s emergency communication’s system. A water line leak shut down long distance service throughout the region for 3½ hours on September 26, 2005. By handling so much long distance traffic in one location, the region is vulnerable when unforeseen circumstances cause the

DRAFT 12-40

location to shut down.3 As the region is susceptible to water line shut downs, electrical failures, and severe storms, regional and state officials might consider working with communications vendors to develop guidelines for emergency shut-downs. Multiple Internet and cable providers While most areas of the region choose to install high speed Internet and/or cable television into their home or business, not all areas can choose the provider. Goffstown Selectmen Chairman Gossett McRae says of the potential for multiple providers, “We are always looking for some little edge to make competition with bigger cities in the area. (Multiple providers) give us a data infrastructure that is attractive to businesses, which is a plus for Goffstown.” In order to target businesses to the region and increase tax revenues, municipalities can break down barriers to private communications companies. One way of doing this is to work out franchise agreements with communications companies, in which a small fee from the company’s total income is paid to the town. The small source of revenue pales, though, in comparison to the tax benefits these moves could bring by attracting businesses. Conclusion The Southern New Hampshire Planning region faces a challenging mix of growth related issues, which demand unique solutions for public utilities and communications. The priority of the region should be for all residences and businesses to have safe, sustainable, and efficient access to water, sewer, waste disposal, electricity, and communications at a cost that is not burdensome the public. While there is no single solution, regional coordination of water and sewer systems, local collaboration for utilities and communications, recycling and conservation of resources, and creative methods for site-specific utilities offer viable alternatives. The provision of well-planned utilities and communications systems promote economic development and the ensuing tax dollars that can support schools, roads, and other infrastructure improvements. Successful systems also have built-in measures for emergency situations, which can be as simple as coordination between systems or towns. Many towns in the SNHPC region already have innovative and effective systems in place to provide utilities and communications to their residents and businesses. Key components of the successful implementation of optimal systems will be communication between towns and between utility providers as well as a willingness to combine resources and work together.

3 Kathryn Marchocki, “Hub called a weak point,” The New Hampshire Union Leader, 28 September 2005.