MVD Declares Water Emergency

[Debra Huffman]

It has to do with the fact that our water supply is undersized for the amount of users in town.

This is really interesting, Ken. I haven't heard this before. A few years ago I spent some time talking to the head of the MVD (can't remember his name) and he rattled off a bunch of data that made it seem like we had one of the best/biggest aquifers anywhere. And when the mall was being discussed, my recollection is that the MVD indicated that the extra water demand wasn't going to be a problem, which many of us found sort of hard to believe.

Frankly, I have no clue about water supply issues. Could you share some of what you know about it?

[Brian McCarthy]

I PM'ed Tony for noticing this - it has been fixed by the Media Divsion.

Brian

Keeping the update on the town access channel would be handy too.
This morning it was just reinforcing the even/odd.
Nothing about the water ban.

[mmoy]

I agree with Ken and Debra. It seems like it wasn't long ago that Lowell (city on Merrimack River) and other towns had big flooding problems. And now we're out of water? Do we need another well or more capacity from existing wells? Should we consider drawing on the Merrimack River?

I can only imagine that the Mall and the businesses that will be moving here because of the mall will make the problem worse.

Speaking of the mall, it appears that Simon Property Group was working on unloading a lot of mall properties recently as prices have rebounded.

[Jamie MacFarland]

The communication of this has been poor. I recall getting a blast phone message regarding restrictions for four of so days and to be prudent with water use, which we already do. There was no follow on message of an outright outside water ban. I learned of this from this forum. Since most residents do not read the forum, or MVD websites, how are they to know? One of my neighbors got a citation for using outside water and they had no idea of the restriction. Why no follow on phone call with the water ban. How does the MVD expect residents to adhere to something they know nothing about?

[Brian McCarthy]

There are electronic signs up around town, there are also banners (at least one at the Meetinghouse/Turkey Hill intersection). The call you got may have been done using the School District's system. Nixle was also used, WMUR had a bit on it also. I used the 'friends' list at MerrimackVotes for the initial FYI (going outside what I set up that list for).

I will agree with you that something better could be done.

And suggestions ARE WELCOME! The Town is also trying to figure out how best to get in touch with people in cases of emergencies.

Do we require people to provide phone number and subscribe to a dial-out service? Every house/apartment/business must have a phone number on file? Sounds great, but how many people are going to say 'no I don't want to' and the coverage is not 100%? Email? Texting?

There was, many years ago, in the long range plan for the Media Division, the idea of getting a low powered radio station for the Town - but today with IPODS, CDs and such, how many people listen to the radio ?

That's enough of that rant!


One question I thought of too late for the survey is asking people 'How do you get your information about Merrimack?'

The communication of this has been poor. I recall getting a blast phone message regarding restrictions for four of so days and to be prudent with water use, which we already do. There was no follow on message of an outright outside water ban. I learned of this from this forum. Since most residents do not read the forum, or MVD websites, how are they to know? One of my neighbors got a citation for using outside water and they had no idea of the restriction. Why no follow on phone call with the water ban. How does the MVD expect residents to adhere to something they know nothing about?

[Jamie MacFarland]

While not everyone watches the local town stations, a 24x7 scroll across the top of the screen letting residents know of the ban would get their attention. At this time, this is the most realistic way to communicate.

Of course email/text would be the most effective way to reach the most people. However, you cannot require people to provide their email information.

[Jamie MacFarland]

It has to do with the fact that our water supply is undersized for the amount of users in town.

This is really interesting, Ken. I haven't heard this before. A few years ago I spent some time talking to the head of the MVD (can't remember his name) and he rattled off a bunch of data that made it seem like we had one of the best/biggest aquifers anywhere. And when the mall was being discussed, my recollection is that the MVD indicated that the extra water demand wasn't going to be a problem, which many of us found sort of hard to believe.

Frankly, I have no clue about water supply issues. Could you share some of what you know about it?

I seem to recall one of the key wells is offline to to contamination, or some other risk, and perhaps that has contributed to the problem. I am not sure this problem has been addressed. Perhaps someone has more specifics

I think it would be a pretty safe bet that there is a lack of financial resources to enable a significant upgrade to the system at this time. Any significant upgrade would be paid for by the ratepayers, and that is going to be troublesome.

[Ken Coleman]

A couple of things

The reason for the permanent odd even is that without this we do not have enough supply. While in the past (quite a while a go) the MVD made the argument that it is also good not to water everyday for water conservation, the fact is this is a supply issue.

We do sit on a huge aquifer of water, especially if you include well number 6. The MVD has been slowly trying to bring on well number 6 from many years back when Merrimack Metals site contaminated it. I do not know the current situation with well number 6, however I do know that it was expected that the heavy metal contamination had gotten down to the point that there was a hope it would be OK to pump.

Well number 6 is on one of the biggest aquifers of water Merrimack has. Years ago (15+) when some people wanted to tie into Nashua’s system for additional water when these type of situations arose, it was opposed based on well number 6 coming back on line.

The question is even with well number 6 at full capacity; do we have really enough water long term? What are we really had a truly long term drought?

As far as the water system being undersized, look at how much more severe our ban is in comparison to most other communities as proof.

I am not blaming the current MVD board for the situation we are in; it has been created over the last 20 years. The MVD operates as an independent governmental body that is not subject to either the town charter or senate bill 2. Since these changes have taken place, there is no town focus on issues regarding water and governance.

Less than 100 people get together in what is close to an old style form of town meeting to decide water issues. The MVD used to be covered by Budget committee review, but the town charter did away with this too. In addition there is no news coverage of the MVD and most people in the town do not even realize that this is a separate governmental body.

We have a serious long term water issue. This was pointed out many years ago and changes proposed to fix it were all shot down. Many years ago we said that these problems would not be addressed until the water stops coming out of our taps. Maybe we are getting close now.

BTW Nashua offer to put an emergency interconnect between our systems years ago to be used jointly in this type of emergency. Nashua was going to pay the entire cost. This was shot down as there were irrational fears that this would lead to Nashua taking over our water system.

Ken Coleman

[Debra Huffman]

Thanks for the info, Ken. And you're right, speaking just for myself, I pay absolutely no attention to the MVD. I've always assumed that those who volunteer to serve on the water commission are doing their jobs. Perhaps that's not a smart assumption, or perhaps they've tried to do a good job and the voters have just been irrational.

It will be interesting to hear what the MVD has to say about all this. I'm sure some reporter will see this as a story worth investigating.

[Brian McCarthy]

>> less than 100

I think its more like 'less than 50'

Brian

[Kathy]

Will the new mall use MVD water?

Kathy

[Tom Mahon]

Well #6 is still off line and not likely to be returned to use anytime soon. It is my understanding, that while the level of contamination has been reduced to below EPA standards, the contaminants are still present.

There is an interconnect with Pennichuck (maybe soon to be Nashua) and there is an interconnect with Manchester in the north end of town.

To the responder who noted large industrial users watering, Most of DW Hwy south of A-B are on the Pennichuck system. And, I believe that A-B has their own wells as well as being in the Pennichuck system. The former Unitrode/TI building behind the 'new' Shaws has its own well that was put in to supply water for the former assembly operation there.

The water search was reported to the Planning Board during the Chelsea site review. And, yes, the outlet mall will be on the MVD system. However, if I recall correctly, their 'landscaping' will not be sustained by MVD water.

The MVD has been working dilligently for the last four years to determine additional resources to provide water, assess their system deficiencies (hence, the interconnect to DW Hwy from Chelsea and the upgrade of the main that runs through the Exit 11 area) and to improve their finance and accounting systems and practices.

[Ken Coleman]

Tom,

Thanks for the information. I believe the interconnect between Nashua and South Merrimack is the very old small line that helps feed the south end of town and is NOT a replacement for the emerency interconnect line proposed and voted down years ago.

I do believe that the current MVD board has good people on it that are trying their best. What I also believe is the current structure of the MVD (as a government body) does not serve us well and I do believe that the vast majority of people know nothing about it.

Senate bill 2 government (all day voting) was put in place becuase people thought having 800 to 2000 people come to a town meeting was not enough to truly repersent the town. Surely if this is the case less than 100 or even 50 is a bad way to govern.

It was proposed years ago to take the MVD and put it under town control. Maybe something worth considering again?

(watch the firestorm this suggestion creates!)

Ken

[Ken Coleman]

One other thing, Many Years ago the MVD would not talk about the well number 6 issue as they said it was in litigation. (Rightfully so there should be litigation).

Does anyone today know of the outcome of the litigation? Were damages and cost paid to Merrimack? Do we have to pay some of the clean up cost?

The outcome of this situation has never been made public (At least I have never seen it). Could any of the current MVD commissioners provide any information?

Ken Coleman

[RBarnes]

It was proposed years ago to take the MVD and put it under town control. Maybe something worth considering again?

Ken, I have mixed feelings on this one.

Since I don't have town water and those of us on Lawrence Rd don't even have access to it if we wanted it I am 100% against anything that would put even a portion of the cost of town water on my tax bill since I'm prevented from accessing the service. I don't even have access to fire hydrants on my road in case of fires.

Likewise since I don't have it and I don't use it would it be right for me to have just as much say on it as you do since it would impact your water bill and have no impact on me? Heck, I didn't even feel right when the bud com covered that portion of the budget. I even asked the members my first year on the committee if I should excuse myself since I don't have town water but they agreed that I'd perhaps be the most non bias on that budget since I had no stake either way.