Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund Updates
Since its establishment in 2017, the Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund Advisory Commission has awarded a total of $186 million ($118 million in grants and $68 million in loans) to 110 drinking water construction and 41 source water protection projects. This amount includes significant financing for the monumental Southern New Hampshire Regional Water Interconnection Project, the state’s largest regional water distribution connection, that brought water from Manchester Water Works to five communities in southern New Hampshire affected by MtBE contamination.
Funding will be available through the Construction Project Assistance Program for the 2023 Annual Round for projects that build and enhance drinking water infrastructure. Projects that address contamination, improve water quality, increase the viability of an existing drinking water system, or enable the State to meet future drinking water needs are a priority for funding. NHDES will be accepting applications this fall (deadlines TBD) for the 2023 Construction Project Assistance Annual Round. The Trust Fund also provides grants to public water systems to perform a feasibility study of interconnecting with a larger water system under the Consolidation Study Assistance Program. Applications may be submitted any time, and grants can be up to $10,000 to cover the costs of consulting, engineering analysis, and a cost opinion to consolidate with a larger water system.
The Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund (Trust Fund) was established in 2017 following resolution of a lawsuit by the State against Exxon Mobil Corporation for methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) contamination of drinking water and groundwater resources in New Hampshire. The mission of the Trust Fund, as established in RSA 485-F, is to protect, preserve and enhance drinking water and groundwater resources of the state. The Trust Fund supports several programs and initiatives to achieve its mission, including water sampling and testing, and funding drinking water infrastructure and source water land protection projects. The Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund Advisory Commission was established to consult with and advise NHDES in the administration and management of the Trust Fund and make funding decisions.
Please check the Trust Fund website for more information or contact the Trust Fund Administrator, Cheryl Bondi at cheryl.a.bondi@des.nh.gov.