Bow Select Board authorizes Concord request, SRF pre‑application and Hooksett commitments for water expansion

The Bow Select Board on May 27 voted to ask the City of Concord to consider providing wholesale water service to Bow Junction, authorized submission of a New Hampshire Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) pre‑application and made commitments to support Hooksett’s request for water capacity while approving engineering work to refine project costs and design.

The actions came after a technical presentation and discussion of potential connection charges, estimated demand, funding options and next steps. Cindy, a town staff presenter, summarized a Concord study of connection charges and advised the board on likely costs and capacity ranges. "The 2027 cost would be $7.57 per gallon per day of capacity," Cindy said, adding a possible additional buy‑in of about $1.94 per gallon per day if Concord charges for use of existing infrastructure.

Why it matters: Bow’s water‑system choices affect local businesses, potential development in Bow Junction and South Street, and town budgets. The board’s votes keep multiple funding routes open — low‑interest SRF loans, regional grants and TIF funding — while asking the town’s engineers to sharpen cost and design estimates.

Board discussion and findings

Presenters told the board that Bow Junction’s current measured water use is very low — about 10,000 gallons per day — but future demand for development could be much higher. The town’s working estimate range discussed for a request to Concord was roughly 25,000 to 60,000 gallons per day; DuBois & King’s earlier feasibility work…