Mandatory Watering Ban Enacted
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 4, 2016
FOR INFORMATION: Contact David Sullivan, Town Administrator (603) 432-7732
MANDATORY WATER USE RESTRICTION
WINDHAM, NH – Beginning Wednesday, October 12, the Town of Windham will implement a mandatory ban on outdoor lawn watering. This will be a Town-wide restriction that applies to all residential private well owners.
The NH Department of Environmental Services is urging municipalities to implement water-use restrictions. Drought conditions have become significantly worse, with over half the state in drought and the extreme drought moving from the seacoast farther into southern New Hampshire. Low stream flows and low groundwater levels are occurring across the state.
To address the ongoing drought conditions, the Town of Windham in accordance with policy #WIN 2:00:27:16, “Regulation Restricting Residential Outdoor Lawn Watering”, will implement the following water restriction to help conserve our water resources:
Per Section IV, Sub-section C. 1)
RESIDENTIAL OUTDOOR LAWN WATERING IS PROHIBITED
The Town of Windham appreciates your effort and cooperation with this Mandatory Water Use Restriction in an effort to sustain our drinking water supply during these dry conditions. If applicable, it is important to reprogram your sprinkler system to the restriction set forth above. Please monitor www.WindhamNH.gov and the Windham Independent closely for further guidance and updates.
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Previous/Additional Announcement(s):
DATE: October 19, 2016
Eversource Reminds Property Owners of Hazards from Drought-Stressed Trees. Company shares tips for preventing outages and damage from weakened branches.
MANCHESTER, N.H. (October 19, 2016) - Living in the second most forested state in the country means New Hampshire residents have a unique appreciation for the value of trees to the landscape. But it also means we understand the devastating impact trees can have on the electric system, with trees accounting for more than 60 percent of all power outages.
Click HERE to read the full release.
DATE: September 29, 2016
CONTACT: James Martin, 603 271-3710
Report Drought Related Economic Impacts to NHDES
Concord, NH - The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) is now collecting information on economic impacts related to the drought to help assess the location and severity of drought impacts and manage drought response efforts. Homeowners on private wells and public water suppliers, as well as industrial, commercial, institutional and agricultural water users withdrawing water from wells or surfaces waters that have experienced or are experiencing water supply issues are asked to report drought impacts. An electronic survey to report impacts for homeowners on private wells as well as a survey for all other water users has been posted at www.des.nh.gov on the home page under What’s New or on the Drought Management Program webpage:
http://des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/dam/drought/index.htm.
While southern New Hampshire is experiencing the most severe drought, water shortage issues are occurring across the state and should also be reported. It is unlikely that enough rain to fully recharge water resources in drought areas will be received before this winter. NHDES will continue to collect information on economic impacts associated with the drought until drought conditions are alleviated.
DATE: September 27, 2016
VOLUNTARY WATER BAN IN EFFECT
Under RSA 41:11 d, the Windham Board of Selectmen have the authority to adopt regulations allowing them to restrict the watering of lawns on residential properties within the boundaries of the Town of Windham. Although the Board has not adopted such regulations, as yet, during extreme drought conditions the health and safety of Windham residents should be priority.
In light of the ongoing, extreme drought conditions in our area, the Board of Selectmen last evening voted to request residents adhere to a VOLUNTARY BAN on all residential outdoor watering effective immediately. Residents are urged to make efforts to conserve water and to refer to the following links containing information regarding water saving techniques and the urgency of the drought situation.
This voluntary ban shall remain in effect until further notice. On behalf of the Board of Selectmen, we appreciate your adherence to this ban and your conservation of water.
DATE: August 3, 2016
CONTACT: James Martin, (603) 271-3710
NHDES Urges Residents to Conserve Water in Drought Areas
Concord, NH - A combination of a below average snowpack in the spring, little precipitation to recharge the groundwater, an increase of evapotranspiration in the summer, and the inability of New Hampshire watersheds to store large volumes of water due to their geology has landed the northern half of the state in abnormally dry conditions and the southern half in severe drought. During the July 22, 2016 meeting of the New Hampshire Drought Management Team (DMT), State Climatologist, Mary Stampone, indicated that relief was not in the near future and drought conditions will likely persist into the fall. As a result of the current conditions and the long-term forecast, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) is urging New Hampshire residents to conserve water as long as drought conditions persist.
To protect water supplies, over one hundred public water systems in New Hampshire have implemented outdoor water use restrictions or bans in their service areas. If you reside in an area of severe drought, which currently includes the following counties: Belknap, Cheshire, Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham, Strafford and Sullivan, and your water supplier has not issued a restriction or if you are a private homeowner on your own well, NHDES urges you to refrain from using water outdoors except for hand watering of vegetable gardens until precipitation mitigates drought conditions. For counties experiencing abnormally dry conditions, including Grafton, Carroll, and Coos counties, NHDES recommends outdoor water use be limited to watering every other day and to between the hours of 7pm and 8am. Saving water for essential uses, such as drinking, cooking and cleaning of clothes and dishes and limiting non-essential uses such as watering of lawns is the most effective way to sustain water supplies until enough rain is received to replenish water sources.
The last significant drought the state experienced was between 2001 and 2003. Since then, many changes have been made to help mitigate drought conditions. Water suppliers have invested in backup supplies, including emergency interconnections with other water suppliers, and adopted water restrictions; the Water Conservation Program at NHDES was created; and legislation was enacted to allow municipalities to quickly implement residential lawn watering bans on public and private supplies. “Lessons have been learned from past droughts and tools have been put in place to help avoid water shortage emergencies, but we really are at the mercy of the weather” states Stacey Herbold, NHDES Water Conservation Program. “The fact is there is nothing we can do to replenish our water supplies. There is no rainmaker. For now, the best we can do is limit our use to essentials and let the lawn go dormant until rainier days come.”
For updates on drought conditions and outdoor water use restrictions; water efficiency tips; and drought guidance for municipalities, public water systems, and homeowners, visitwww.des.nh.gov and scroll through the “A-Z List” to the “Drought Management Program.”
This message brought to you by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, 29 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03302. Comments or questions can be directed to Jim Martin at [email protected].