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The Quantity of Our Water in New Hampshire
By Laura Knoy on Tuesday, July 22, 2008.
New Hampshire is growing and that means new strains on our water supply. Some complain of soaring water prices along with old infrastructure and strict quality standards. Now some communities are looking to develop “water plans”. We explore how much water we have and use, who uses it and what some are doing to make sure we have enough water.
Guests
- Marilee Horn, water use specialist at United States Geological Survey in New Hampshire and lead author of a study on water use for the Seacoast region
- Derek Bennett, manager of the Water Use and Conservation Program for the Drinking Water and Groundwater Bureau of New Hampshire’s Department of Environmental Services
- Andrew Stone, Executive Director of the American Groundwater Trust in Concord
We'll also hear from
- Phil Bilodeau, Deputy Director of the General Services Department for the City of Concord
- Denise Hart, Board Member for Save Our Groundwater, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting water in the public trust
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All comments are moderated before appearing on the site. Comments must adhere to the NHPR.org comment guidelines and terms of use.
Once I read that New England is the only place in the U.S. where there is a net positive flow in the aquifers; that is, that the rest of the country is running out of water. Shouldn't we treat our water as a commodity like oil. When outsider industry comes in to remove and sell it, shouldn't we charge royalties. In California people have oil rights that go with their land; why not water rights?
Could you please discuss the relationship between land conservation and water protection? It seems that land protection has an important role in protecting both the quantity and quality of water.
Nancy
Durham
In today’s discussion we heard about the need for science based decisions when it comes to water distribution. I agree. I believe DES has an important role to play in determining whether or not there is enough water available for a particular use. However, once this determination is made, I believe only the local community can make the policy decision of how they will allow their water resources to be used. Right now, if DES says there’s enough water, the local community has no legal standing to deny a permit to withdraw the water by any qualified applicant, whether that applicant is a bottling company, a golf course, or a hospital. For more information about local water rights, visit our website at www.nhpowr.com. Mary