Water Use Registration and Reporting in New Hampshire

New Hampshire has been moving towards comprehensive management of its water resources since 1983 when the Legislature declared that surface water and groundwater are an integrated public resource to be conserved, protected and managed for the public good. Fundamental to sound management is knowledge of the occurrence and utilization of the resource.

REGISTRATION AND REPORTING PROGRAM

Initially authorized by Chapter 402 Laws of 1983, the water user registration and reporting program went into effect in the summer of 1987. Subsequent legislation was passed in 2005 under Chapter 488 that reinforced the program purpose and clearly affirmed the Department of Environmental Services (DES) rulemaking authority. DES has proposed revised administrative rules that would implement the requirements of RSA 488. It is anticipated that these rules will be adopted in 2008.

The objective of the program is to gather accurate data on the major uses of the state’s water and the demands placed upon individual aquifers, streams and rivers. To accomplish this objective, all facilities that use more than 20,000 gallons of water per day, averaged over a seven-day period, must register with DES. Under the program, “use” of water means the withdrawal of water from a source, transfer of water from one location to another, and/or return of water to the environment. Also included in the registration process are facilities which may receive water from a public supplier or return water to a community wastewater treatment plant. This program has provided basic baseline information regarding many types of water use in New Hampshire.

Examples of affected uses include but are not limited to:

• Water supply for domestic, commercial, industrial or institutional use.
• Treated or untreated municipal or industrial discharges, including industrial process water.
• Contact and non-contact cooling water.
• Water for irrigation and snow making.
• Water used in the production of either electrical or mechanical power.
• Water transferred into and transported in bulk tanker trucks.

The registration process requires the water user to identify the name, address, and location of the facility, including the name of a contact person. Information is also required on the type of use, identification of the source(s) and destination(s) of the water, and the method of measuring usage. New water users must register within 30 days of commencement of use. Once registered, the user must measure the amount of water used.

MEASURING WATER USE

Section 488:4 of the law requires each withdrawal, discharge, or transfer to be metered or measured by a technically appropriate and verifiable method approved by DES. Withdrawals and discharges are required to be measured at the point of withdrawal or discharge, respectively. Monthly water usage from each registered source and destination is to be reported to the New Hampshire Geological Survey (NHGS) on a quarterly basis for most water users.

In an effort to reduce the administrative and record-keeping requirements of the water users, the program recognizes other related reporting programs. The “unified reporting procedure” provides that if a user is already reporting data to another division or department of state government, and those data meet the requirements of this program, duplicate reporting to NHGS is not required. All water users must still register with DES and verify that the uniform reporting procedure applies to their particular facility.

WHY IS AN ACCURATE WATER USE REPORTING PROGRAM IMPORTANT?

1) Basic Data: A water use reporting program provides basic baseline information regarding major water uses in New Hampshire that is critical for managing water resources in an integrated manner. The information can provide legislative or regulatory decision makers with an understanding of the effects of cumulative water uses on the water budgets of aquifers and watersheds in New Hampshire and overall demands on water resources. The data also provide information to support industrial, energy, and overall development in a manner consistent with sound environmental management.

2) Understanding Water Use Trends: An accurate water use reporting program improves the management of state-wide water resources by identifying the quantity and timing of existing water uses and enabling future water demands and associated effects to be projected. Hydrologic effects such as declining water tables and/or diminished streamflows can only be properly assessed if all stresses on the resource are known, both manmade as well as natural. Also, by measuring and reporting their water use, registered facilities develop a better understanding of their specific water needs and potential opportunities for water conservation.

3) Regulatory Compliance and Fairness: Water Use Registration and Reporting provides a tool for ensuring compliance with laws regulations, and water rights. Understanding the location, quantity and timing of water used is essential for the Department to determine which water users are subject to laws passed by the legislature (large groundwater withdrawal permitting and instream flow pilot studies) so that appropriate regulations can be equitably enforced.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

For more information on the program please contact the Department of Environmental Services, New Hampshire Geological Survey, PO Box 95, Concord, NH 03302-0095 (603) 271-4086.