More than $7.95 million awarded for drinking water, wastewater and other projects

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) announced today that Governor Chris Sununu and the Executive Council, at recent meetings, have approved multiple projects, in a combination of grant and loan funds, for needed drinking water and wastewater system improvements, totaling more than $7.95 million. NHDES provided the funding through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), the Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund (DWGTF), the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) and the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). NHDES has offered over $100 million in funding for more than 200 projects, which are in the process of finalizing their proposals to NHDES for submission to the Governor and Executive Council for approval. More information about the projects that have recently been approved is below:

Drinking Water Asset Management
The grant funding will be used to develop, improve or implement asset management programs for drinking water systems. Asset management has become the foundation for sustainable water systems as it provides a holistic picture for how to conduct their business in a more effective and efficient method. Towns receiving Drinking Water Asset Management Grants include:

• Lower Bartlett Water Precinct: $100,000 ARPA Grant
• Woodsville Water and Light: $65,000 ARPA Grant
• Town of Hudson: $100,000 ARPA Grant
• Town of Hancock: $70,000 ARPA Grant
• Town of New Castle: $62,800 ARPA Grant
• Town of Lancaster: $80,000 ARPA Grant
• Town of Pembroke: $63,200 ARPA Grant
• Town of Milford: $100,000 ARPA Grant
• Town of Gorham: $71,600 ARPA Grant
• Town of Plaistow: $100,000 ARPA Grant
• City of Rochester: $100,000 ARPA Grant
• North Conway Water Precinct: $100,000 ARPA Grant
• Town of Hillsborough: $75,000 ARPA Grant
• Carroll County: $60,000 ARPA Grant
• Rye Water District: $100,000 ARPA Grant
• Grasmere Village Water Precinct, Goffstown: $50,000 ARPA Grant

Wastewater Asset Management
The grant funding will be used to develop an asset management program to be used as a complete community specific decision-making tool for wastewater collection systems and/or pump stations. Towns receiving Wastewater Asset Management Grants include:

• Town of Belmont: $30,000 ARPA Grant
• Town of Milford: $30,000 ARPA Grant
• Town of Hampton: $60,000 ARPA Grant
• Town of Gorham: $30,000 ARPA Grant
• Town of Lisbon: $30,000 ARPA Grant

Stormwater Asset Management
The grant funding will be used to develop an asset management program to be used as a complete community specific decision-making tool for stormwater systems. Towns receiving Stormwater Asset Management Grants include:

• Town of Alton: $30,000 ARPA Grant
• Emerald Lake Village District, Hillsborough: $30,000 ARPA Grant

City of Portsmouth: Wastewater Treatment Facility Improvements - $450,000 ARPA Grant; $1,500,000 CWSRF Loan
ARPA Grant: $450,000
CWSRF Loan: $1,500,000
Total Project Cost: $1,950,000
The city will use the funding for the designing of upgrades to increase the capacity of their wastewater treatment facility.

Town of Pembroke: Stormwater Assessment and Improvements - $100,000 ARPA Grant
The town will use the funding to evaluate and develop feasible options to address failing stormwater infrastructure and to conduct additional condition assessments.

Town Line Village Cooperative, Inc, Holderness: Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Improvements - $1,938,800 ARPA Grant; $25,000 DWGT Grant; $25,000 DWGT Loan
ARPA Grant: $1,938,800
DWGT Grant: $25,000
DWGT Loan: $25,000
Total Project Cost: $1,988,800
The funds will be used for drinking water and wastewater improvements.

Copple Crown Village District, New Durham: Drinking Water Infrastructure Improvements - $134,800 ARPA Grant; $265,200 DWSRF Loan
ARPA Grant: $134,800
DWSRF Loan: $265,200
Total Project Cost: $400,000
The funds will be used to implement overall water system repairs and improvements.

Town of Rye: Bacteria Sampling - $100,000 ARPA Grant
The town will use the funding to sample for bacteria in streams. Sample results will be used to determine pathogen pollution sources to fresh water and tidal Parsons Creek in Rye. The town’s septic system database will be updated and a septic system vulnerability map and database with information on susceptible septic tanks will be migrated to Rye’s online mapping and information system.

Winnipesaukee River Basin, Franklin: Energy Audit Measures Implementation - $189,100 ARPA Grant
The funds will be used to make improvements to the aeration process at the Franklin Wastewater Treatment Facility as recommended in the 2019 Energy Evaluation completed by Process Energy Services.

Town of Jaffrey: Wastewater Infrastructure Improvements - $390,000 ARPA Grant; $910,000 CWSRF Loan
ARPA Grant: $390,000
CWSRF Loan: $910,000
Total Project Cost: $1,300,000
The funds will be used to make improvements to the sewer on Stratton Road to address inflow and infiltration.

Town of Milford: Wastewater Infrastructure Improvements - $117,000 ARPA Grant; $273,000 CWSRF Loan
ARPA Grant: $117,000
CWSRF Loan: $273,000
Total Project Cost: $390,000

Background:
ARPA is a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill to speed up the United States’ recovery from the economic health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant recession. The Act defines eligible uses of the state and local funding, including responding to public health emergencies, responding to workers performing essential work during the COVID-19 emergency, providing revenue relief to states and making investments in water, sewer and broadband infrastructure. 

For more information regarding infrastructure funding programs such as ARPA and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) being administered by NHDES, visit the NHDES Infrastructure Funding website.

For more information, please contact Erin Holmes, NHDES at Erin.L.Holmes@des.nh.gov or (603) 848-4259.