Several years of drought have reduced the yield of the Town’s wells

New supplies will be needed to meet current and future demands

None of Seabrook’s neighbors have surplus water to share

A stream diversion system

Design and permitting for a desalination facility

Installation of residential water meters and a system wide leak detection system

Meters are part of the conservation program required by the State

The State won’t allow the Town to access additional water without installing meters

Meters will help allocate the expense of providing water more fairly

Metered rates will be designed to ‘protect’ the elderly and other customer classes

‘Skim’ excess water from the Hampton Falls River during periods of high flow

Operate only from November until April each year

The stream diversion water will be used to recharge the Town’s existing well field

For existing households currently on the Town water and sewer system, there will be no additional cost. Without passage of Articles 11 & 33, water meter installation costs may be as high several hundred dollars for each meter

Commercial meters are already installed

After the initial Town installation, the cost of water meters will be assessed to all new construction

After the initial Town installation, the cost of water meters will be assessed to all new construction

Metered rates will reflect actual water use by each household to encourage water conservation

The schedule for average household rates will be the same as now exists

High usage households will be charged for usage in excess of the basic rate

Private wells will be encouraged to accommodate landscaping uses

Ultimately provide a long term solution to water shortages

Provide fresh clean water from brackish water wells near the ocean

Provides a reliable new source of water for the Town

Provides a water source not dependent on rainfall or snowmelt

During periods of high customer demand

When emergency situations arise

To access and purify brackish groundwater for drinking water use

The town will skim off the excess water flow from the river during the spring and fall when there is more than average water flow. This excess water will be pumped to the tri-pond reservoir area, which will in turn replenish the ground water wells. This method will add a new source to our ground water supply. This will not interfere with the normal flow of the river as it deposits downstream into the estuary.

The Town of Seabrook is the largest water supplier in the State without water meters for everyone. Businesses are required to have meters now. The State of New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services rules on permits for all State water resources. The NHDES has requires that all cities and towns in the State must have a Water Conservation Plan before they will issue any further permits for future water resources. The conservation plan includes conservation education, installing water meters to all Water Department subscribers to determine true consumption, and install leak detection in the main system.

The Town of Seabrook is the largest water supplier in the State without water meters for everyone. Businesses are required to have meters now. The State of New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services rules on permits for all State water resources. The NHDES has requires that all cities and towns in the State must have a Water Conservation Plan before they will issue any further permits for future water resources. The conservation plan includes conservation education, installing water meters to all Water Department subscribers to determine true consumption, and install leak detection in the main system.

The cost of the water meter installation system wide will be about 1.2 million, which is part of Article 11. By passing Articles 11 & 33, it is estimated that your property tax may increase by $1.75 per thousand property evaluation for a period of five years. The average household tax cost will be about $300 with the large businesses paying a major portion of the 3.6 million. Understand however, that Articles 11 & 33 also includes 2.2 million to put in a water diversion from the Hampton Falls River and includes the permitting and preliminary design for water desalination. All three portions of the article are needed for the town to move forward in obtaining more water.

The cost of installing residential water meters without passing Article 11 may be several hundred dollars per household. That cost would be billed to you directly as part of your water bill. In addition, if Article 11 is not passed, the town will have no funds to move forward with the water diversion or desalination plans. Another warrant article will have to be submitted next year. Article 33 will provide a Water Resources Capital Reserve Account, that will provide for the development of future water supply projects.

The Board of Selectman are the Town Water Commissioners and it is their responsibility to fairly and equitably set the rates for the Town's resources (water and sewer).

 Discussions between the Selectmen and the Water and Sewer Advisory Committee have indicated that the average household uses about 100,000 gallons of water a year. The cost of 100,000 gallons a year will be the same with water meters as it is now ($60 per year).

 The intent of the Committee, with the guidance of the Board of Selectmen, is to recommend that the single or two-person household or low income household would pay about the same annual rate as currently billed. Those households that use excessive water, by washing cars, watering lawns and gardens or otherwise using excessive water, will pay for more water if they want to use it.

Understand that the State Conservation Plan requires the installation of water meters, however, the State does not set water rates for the Town. The Board of Selectmen have indicated that the setting of rates may require three or more years of study and that the meters will be initially used to determine the system water usage. The Selectmen have indicated that water rates will likely not change in the near future. It is likely that the existing water ban will remain in effect until the projects proposed under Articles 11 & 33 are implemented and that an adequate supply of drinking water is available to Seabrook.