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Select Board agrees to draft interconnection commitment letter to Hooksett for bottled‑water project
Summary
After a presentation by Hooksett Village Water Precinct staff, the Bow Town Select Board voted to draft a letter committing to phase‑1 interconnection capacity—subject to negotiation and developer‑funded infrastructure—so Hooksett can advance a proposal for a bottled‑water plant.
The Bow Town Select Board voted June 10 to draft a letter of commitment to the Hooksett Village Water Precinct to support a potential interconnection that would supply water for a private bottled‑water project, subject to negotiated terms and a developer paying for infrastructure.
Representatives from the Hooksett Village Water Precinct outlined capacity constraints and growth pressures, saying the bottled‑water developer seeks as much as 1.2 million gallons per day at full buildout. Hooksett officials asked neighboring Bow to signal interest so Hooksett can include Bow in proposals and negotiations.
Why it matters: The proposal has regional implications for water supply, infrastructure costs and potential private investment. Hooksett described a compressed schedule: the developer intends to begin pipe installation in late 2026 and reach scaling milestones in 2027–2028 if a site is chosen.
What the board approved
- Motion: The Select Board approved drafting a commitment letter that would reserve a phase‑1 capacity commitment (the letter would include an expiration and conditions) and would specify that infrastructure costs are expected to be borne by the private applicant, not the town. The motion passed, 5–0.
- Conditions and caveats: Board members and Hooksett officials emphasized that any letter would be nonbinding on final contract terms; it was described as a near‑term statement of willingness so Hooksett can proceed in negotiations with the developer. The requested draft was to include a limited term (the parties discussed six to nine months during the meeting) and to be shared with the developer and Hooksett for further steps.
Details from Hooksett’s presentation
- Hooksett’s current average winter demand is roughly 300,000 gallons per day with summer peaks near 900,000 gallons; the bottling developer’s need was described as substantially larger.
- Hooksett has been studying multiple supply options, including interconnections with neighboring systems (including Manchester) and wellfield optimization; a DES‑funded report was due to be published soon identifying several options.
- The proposed Bow‑Hooksett interconnection has been studied previously (feasibility work in 2019–2021) and was discussed earlier with Bow officials; Hooksett requested a renewed demonstration of Bow’s interest so Hooksett can present a stronger case to the developer.
Next steps
Town staff and the Select Board will prepare a draft letter to Hooksett that would commit Bow to a phase‑1 capacity reservation under defined conditions, including an expiration period and the expectation that the private developer will fund infrastructure work. The board will review the draft and, if acceptable, forward it to Hooksett and the developer for negotiations.
