On January 6, 1941: The Four Freedoms speech was delivered by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt who articulates the four fundamental freedoms that should be enjoyed by everyone across the globe.
They were: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. His widow, Eleanor Roosevelt, was highly inspired by them when she advocated the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.
Hampstead NH Residents Without Sustainable Drinking Water For A Year
REPORTED SEPTEMBER 2017 HAMPSTEAD, NH/EAGLE TRIBUNE — Dozens of Main Street residents attended a Board of Selectmen's meeting to raise concerns about their dry wells. Several Main Street residents have been without water for months, despite the fact there is no drought in town or the surrounding area.
The public hearing was the first step in convincing the community to extend town water access to Main Street residents. Main Street resident Lori Benoit voiced her disappointment with the water shortage, noting she has to be careful all the time. "We basically have to conserve all the time," said Benoit. "We've taken trips all summer to the laundromat, and we can't even flush that often because we're afraid to."
Benoit also remembered a picture that popped up on her Facebook feed three days ago from a "memory" two years ago showing bottles of water and tanks next to her house, with a caption that explained her well has "gone dry six times."
State Sen. Chuck Morse, R-Salem, explained a bit about the plan to bring water to those in need on Main Street. He spoke about a pipeline project that would municipal water to several southern New Hampshire towns.
While the project could be an answer to residents concerns, it wouldn't turn the water on for Hampstead until spring of 2020.
"The reality of extending the line into homes is a complicated issue and requires a lot of thought," Morse said. "We'll bring the source, but someone else is responsible once we have the source."
Josh Manning, the general manager for the Hampstead Water Company, said the first step to bringing the water pipeline into the town and ultimately into people's homes is a formal request of service.
Homeowners will bear the cost of hooking into the pipeline once it is available, which could cost as much as $10,000.
Manning also reiterated Morse's estimation of turn on cost for water return for Main Street.
"It's going to be about 18-24 months for that whole process to happen, reliant on the additional sourcing company," said Manning.
Later, Main Street resident Deanna Anthony took the stage, voicing her concerns of no water in her home on Main Street.
One morning at the beginning of July the Anthony family turned on their tap, and without any warning, nothing came out. "It just stopped," said Anthony. The well had given out — the fourth one dug on their property.
Deanna and her husband Dave Anthony grew up in Hampstead and moved back to the area with their 6-year-old son Langdon in May. When they purchased their home, the property was listed with the selling feature of a 6-month-old warrantied well.
The original well on the property had previously gone dry in July of 2017, and it took Skilling & Sons drilling company three months, and a combination of drilling, deepening, hydro-fracking and casing three new wells to find a producing source in October that worked through the Anthony's inspection process.
The property now has four bedrock wells, the deepest of which is over 1,500 feet. Most New Hampshire wells usually don't go below 500 feet.
"Every foot you dig down past 500 feet the odds are against you," Roger Skilling of Skilling & Sons drilling company said.
The four wells are bedrock wells that extend beyond the water table, as opposed to a dug well that can be impacted by changing groundwater conditions typical of a draught. "A bedrock well (isn't usually) impacted (by drought). It is very unlikely," Skillings said, as different depths and circumstances can impact flow.
The uncertainty over finding a solution drove Deanna to post her family's story on the Hampstead NH Community Connection Facebook page, and the response was "amazing," she said.
Similar circumstances are plaguing multiple houses neighboring Main Street.
The Skafas family across the street at Freedom Farm have been without water for an extended period of time. They, along with the Anthonys, now use holding tanks.
Lori Benoit, who has lived on Main Street for over 60 years first had problems with her well in 1998, and last year she claims it ran dry a couple of times.
"I am concerned it (water) does not spread," said Steve Pascoe, who owns Glenwood Apartment Complex, a 20-unit residential building less than a quarter-mile behind the Anthony's property. One well has supported the apartment building since it was built 29 years ago, according to Pascoe.
"We have pockets of places where we struggle to get water," Skillings said.
Finding a solution to this problem is expensive, as drilling a new well and pumping water out of it can cost as much as $10,000, according to Skilling.
The Anthonys have tried to think of "anything we can do to guarantee water," Deanna said. "It's a very tough gamble, spending thousands of dollars for just a maybe," she added
"Every one of these (four) wells have had water and it's gone away," Skilling said. It's a "more unique situation here, something changed," Skilling added.
"It's not sustainable," Deanna said.
The community has found ways to support the Anthonys since they first shared their story on Facebook.
Isabel Povey of Hampstead, who is also Miss Seacoast, initiated and organized a water drive for the family. Isabel and her mom Trish delivered approximately 130 gallons of bottled water to the Anthonys.
An online petition was started to get the public water lines that currently stop a mile north and south of the property extended.
"It's about awareness," Pascoe said. The petition had 280 signatures in under 24 hours, and signers have commented on why they are supporting the cause.
The "petition is to get the lines here, and get them here fast," Deanna said. A list has also been started for properties interested in connecting to a public water supply along the area of Main Street dependent on private wells.
Andrew Chesney, owner of Southern New Hampshire Plumbing and Heating in Hampstead, has offered services at a reduced rate to affected homeowners on Main Street who would connect to public water lines.
The Anthonys and other homeowners are concerned about finding a solution as the summer season winds down, "we need water here now," Deanna said.
REPORTED NOVEMBER 26, 2018 HAMSTEAD NH/EAGLE TRIBUNE - Though there are about 12 homes in the Main Street neighborhood affected by dry wells or low water yield, according to Anthony, hers is the only well that's been dry since July.
Main Street residents and other concerned citizens recently formed the Hampstead Water Advocates Group. The organization aims to educate residents about local water rights and to hold those in charge accountable for protecting Hampstead's water sources.
The group meets every two weeks to discuss developments and research pertaining to dry wells.
According to research conducted by the group, each year the Hampstead Area Water Company withdraws large amounts of gallons of water from Hampstead's aquifer, which sits at the bottom of the hill on Main Street.
However, water company General Manager Charlie Lanza disputes that claim. He said there are no large well ground water withdrawals from Hampstead, the only large groundwater withdrawal well is located in Atkinson.
Meanwhile, the advocacy group has drafted a Town Meeting petition for the March ballot to encourage the town's selectmen to protect the town's groundwater, create a groundwater committee and investigate alternate sources of public water supplies to supplement wells.
Hampstead Selectman and advocacy group liaison Joe Guthrie said that the town has no responsibility regarding people's private wells other than state required testing for bacteria.
Guthrie says it's "not the town's responsibility to provide water."
If the petition makes the ballot in March, and passes, that could change.
"Hampstead in no way invests in or protects our groundwater," Anthony said. "HAWC's customers are catered to while nothing is being done to protect or save us. It's not a matter of money, it's a matter of luck to live where their lines run. Not only do they have water, they have peace of mind."
Anthony and her neighbors live about a mile from water company-owned pipes, and have petitioned to have the company extend the access into her neighborhood. According to Anthony, she was told it wasn't a "viable investment" given the number of homes affected by the water problem.
"I've asked myself, at what point have those of us with private wells become the 'B-Class' citizens of Hampstead?" Anthony asked. "You see, those fortunate enough to fall on water lines, are ensured clean water and good pressure. They are ensured water, period. What about us?"
Besides the NHDES investigation in the Hampstead Area Water Company well, the advocacy group would like another potential reason for the water shortage investigated. The group is looking into a "loophole" in town rules related to land blasting.
According to the group and the NHDES, developers can declare blasting/land alteration in smaller parcels of land rather than disclose the entire lot they plan to blast. In this fashion, they avoid having NHDES monitoring environmental factors, like the local aquifer, for problems.
To close this loophole, Hampstead could adopt new rules for land blasting, requiring NHDES monitoring with smaller parcels, according to NHDES Water-Well Program Manager Abigail Fopiano.
"I cannot imagine one good reason that we should allow whole developments to divide and disclose their activity by parcel," said Anthony. "It removes our ability to be protected if their total activity would indeed require monitoring." Hamstead is only one of multiple towns and cities now suffering with either public or well drinking water issues, now going on for years.
IT REALLY IS TIME FOR THE STATE GOVERNMENT TO GET OF THEIR ASSES, EVEN JUST ONCE, AND ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING THAT ISN'T JUST A HALF ASSED BANDAIDED FIX.
They were: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. His widow, Eleanor Roosevelt, was highly inspired by them when she advocated the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.
Well, Well, Well, Let's Talk Windham Water
Private Wells
However, before one considers the town’s water needs for economic development, let’s take a moment to review some interesting facts about Windham’s primary water supply:- Since 1984 a total of 2,412 wells have been constructed in Windham.
- Wells are constructed in either overburden soil (sand and gravel) or are drilled into bedrock.
- Windham’s overburden wells have half of the soil thickness above bedrock than surrounding towns, thus lessening available water.
- Average bedrock well depth is 509 feet and is 34% deeper than the average NH bedrock well, indicating obtaining water is more difficult than surrounding towns.
- 359 bedrock wells in Windham have been deepened or replaced since 1984.
- With limited overburden, the bedrock water supply becomes more susceptible to surface contamination.
- Drawing down the Aquifer is a continuous concern, in terms of water quality and quantity, as the town has expanded.
- One out of 5 wells (20%) in NH/Windham have some level of arsenic contamination.
Future for Windham
WEDC recognizes having an adequate water supply is critically important to our quality of life and protecting our economic future, and the Committee will continue to actively explore possible water supply options for our community.Hampstead NH Residents Without Sustainable Drinking Water For A Year
REPORTED SEPTEMBER 2017 HAMPSTEAD, NH/EAGLE TRIBUNE — Dozens of Main Street residents attended a Board of Selectmen's meeting to raise concerns about their dry wells. Several Main Street residents have been without water for months, despite the fact there is no drought in town or the surrounding area.
The public hearing was the first step in convincing the community to extend town water access to Main Street residents. Main Street resident Lori Benoit voiced her disappointment with the water shortage, noting she has to be careful all the time. "We basically have to conserve all the time," said Benoit. "We've taken trips all summer to the laundromat, and we can't even flush that often because we're afraid to."
Benoit also remembered a picture that popped up on her Facebook feed three days ago from a "memory" two years ago showing bottles of water and tanks next to her house, with a caption that explained her well has "gone dry six times."
State Sen. Chuck Morse, R-Salem, explained a bit about the plan to bring water to those in need on Main Street. He spoke about a pipeline project that would municipal water to several southern New Hampshire towns.
While the project could be an answer to residents concerns, it wouldn't turn the water on for Hampstead until spring of 2020.
"The reality of extending the line into homes is a complicated issue and requires a lot of thought," Morse said. "We'll bring the source, but someone else is responsible once we have the source."
Josh Manning, the general manager for the Hampstead Water Company, said the first step to bringing the water pipeline into the town and ultimately into people's homes is a formal request of service.
Homeowners will bear the cost of hooking into the pipeline once it is available, which could cost as much as $10,000.
Manning also reiterated Morse's estimation of turn on cost for water return for Main Street.
"It's going to be about 18-24 months for that whole process to happen, reliant on the additional sourcing company," said Manning.
Later, Main Street resident Deanna Anthony took the stage, voicing her concerns of no water in her home on Main Street.
One morning at the beginning of July the Anthony family turned on their tap, and without any warning, nothing came out. "It just stopped," said Anthony. The well had given out — the fourth one dug on their property.
Deanna and her husband Dave Anthony grew up in Hampstead and moved back to the area with their 6-year-old son Langdon in May. When they purchased their home, the property was listed with the selling feature of a 6-month-old warrantied well.
The original well on the property had previously gone dry in July of 2017, and it took Skilling & Sons drilling company three months, and a combination of drilling, deepening, hydro-fracking and casing three new wells to find a producing source in October that worked through the Anthony's inspection process.
The property now has four bedrock wells, the deepest of which is over 1,500 feet. Most New Hampshire wells usually don't go below 500 feet.
"Every foot you dig down past 500 feet the odds are against you," Roger Skilling of Skilling & Sons drilling company said.
The four wells are bedrock wells that extend beyond the water table, as opposed to a dug well that can be impacted by changing groundwater conditions typical of a draught. "A bedrock well (isn't usually) impacted (by drought). It is very unlikely," Skillings said, as different depths and circumstances can impact flow.
The uncertainty over finding a solution drove Deanna to post her family's story on the Hampstead NH Community Connection Facebook page, and the response was "amazing," she said.
Similar circumstances are plaguing multiple houses neighboring Main Street.
The Skafas family across the street at Freedom Farm have been without water for an extended period of time. They, along with the Anthonys, now use holding tanks.
Lori Benoit, who has lived on Main Street for over 60 years first had problems with her well in 1998, and last year she claims it ran dry a couple of times.
"I am concerned it (water) does not spread," said Steve Pascoe, who owns Glenwood Apartment Complex, a 20-unit residential building less than a quarter-mile behind the Anthony's property. One well has supported the apartment building since it was built 29 years ago, according to Pascoe.
"We have pockets of places where we struggle to get water," Skillings said.
Finding a solution to this problem is expensive, as drilling a new well and pumping water out of it can cost as much as $10,000, according to Skilling.
The Anthonys have tried to think of "anything we can do to guarantee water," Deanna said. "It's a very tough gamble, spending thousands of dollars for just a maybe," she added
"Every one of these (four) wells have had water and it's gone away," Skilling said. It's a "more unique situation here, something changed," Skilling added.
"It's not sustainable," Deanna said.
The community has found ways to support the Anthonys since they first shared their story on Facebook.
Isabel Povey of Hampstead, who is also Miss Seacoast, initiated and organized a water drive for the family. Isabel and her mom Trish delivered approximately 130 gallons of bottled water to the Anthonys.
An online petition was started to get the public water lines that currently stop a mile north and south of the property extended.
"It's about awareness," Pascoe said. The petition had 280 signatures in under 24 hours, and signers have commented on why they are supporting the cause.
The "petition is to get the lines here, and get them here fast," Deanna said. A list has also been started for properties interested in connecting to a public water supply along the area of Main Street dependent on private wells.
Andrew Chesney, owner of Southern New Hampshire Plumbing and Heating in Hampstead, has offered services at a reduced rate to affected homeowners on Main Street who would connect to public water lines.
The Anthonys and other homeowners are concerned about finding a solution as the summer season winds down, "we need water here now," Deanna said.
REPORTED NOVEMBER 26, 2018 HAMSTEAD NH/EAGLE TRIBUNE - Though there are about 12 homes in the Main Street neighborhood affected by dry wells or low water yield, according to Anthony, hers is the only well that's been dry since July.
Main Street residents and other concerned citizens recently formed the Hampstead Water Advocates Group. The organization aims to educate residents about local water rights and to hold those in charge accountable for protecting Hampstead's water sources.
The group meets every two weeks to discuss developments and research pertaining to dry wells.
According to research conducted by the group, each year the Hampstead Area Water Company withdraws large amounts of gallons of water from Hampstead's aquifer, which sits at the bottom of the hill on Main Street.
However, water company General Manager Charlie Lanza disputes that claim. He said there are no large well ground water withdrawals from Hampstead, the only large groundwater withdrawal well is located in Atkinson.
Meanwhile, the advocacy group has drafted a Town Meeting petition for the March ballot to encourage the town's selectmen to protect the town's groundwater, create a groundwater committee and investigate alternate sources of public water supplies to supplement wells.
Hampstead Selectman and advocacy group liaison Joe Guthrie said that the town has no responsibility regarding people's private wells other than state required testing for bacteria.
Guthrie says it's "not the town's responsibility to provide water."
If the petition makes the ballot in March, and passes, that could change.
"Hampstead in no way invests in or protects our groundwater," Anthony said. "HAWC's customers are catered to while nothing is being done to protect or save us. It's not a matter of money, it's a matter of luck to live where their lines run. Not only do they have water, they have peace of mind."
Anthony and her neighbors live about a mile from water company-owned pipes, and have petitioned to have the company extend the access into her neighborhood. According to Anthony, she was told it wasn't a "viable investment" given the number of homes affected by the water problem.
"I've asked myself, at what point have those of us with private wells become the 'B-Class' citizens of Hampstead?" Anthony asked. "You see, those fortunate enough to fall on water lines, are ensured clean water and good pressure. They are ensured water, period. What about us?"
Besides the NHDES investigation in the Hampstead Area Water Company well, the advocacy group would like another potential reason for the water shortage investigated. The group is looking into a "loophole" in town rules related to land blasting.
According to the group and the NHDES, developers can declare blasting/land alteration in smaller parcels of land rather than disclose the entire lot they plan to blast. In this fashion, they avoid having NHDES monitoring environmental factors, like the local aquifer, for problems.
To close this loophole, Hampstead could adopt new rules for land blasting, requiring NHDES monitoring with smaller parcels, according to NHDES Water-Well Program Manager Abigail Fopiano.
"I cannot imagine one good reason that we should allow whole developments to divide and disclose their activity by parcel," said Anthony. "It removes our ability to be protected if their total activity would indeed require monitoring." Hamstead is only one of multiple towns and cities now suffering with either public or well drinking water issues, now going on for years.
IT REALLY IS TIME FOR THE STATE GOVERNMENT TO GET OF THEIR ASSES, EVEN JUST ONCE, AND ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING THAT ISN'T JUST A HALF ASSED BANDAIDED FIX.
