Senators hear case for $28.87 million to continue Southern New Hampshire regional water pipeline

Senator Darrell Abbas asked the Senate Finance Committee to fund $28,870,000 for the Department of Environmental Services to continue Phase 2 of the Southern New Hampshire Regional Water Pipeline, saying the work would add regional drinking-water capacity and support housing and economic development.

Abbas, the sponsor, said Phase 2 would “service up to 30,000 future users” and described pumps that would be hosted in Derry; the project would move water from Manchester through piping installed in Phase 1 and add pumping and delivery capacity for neighboring towns including Salem, Plaistow, Windham, Atkinson and Hampstead.

The bill matters because local officials say buildable lots and approved housing projects cannot move forward without reliable municipal water. “Simply saying, let's build more ... that's not gonna solve the problem if you don't have municipal services,” Abbas told the committee. He described an immediate capacity and contamination pressure on existing local sources and said…