Drinking Water committee says PFAS funding offer, Hooksett extension progress present opportunity for Bow Junction

Cindy Clemons, chair of the Drinking Water Protection Committee, told the Bow Town Board of Selectmen on Sept. 23 that the committee is pressing for use of a state funding offer tied to PFAS contamination near Bow Junction and that a letter committing municipal capacity for a Hooksett extension has been issued.

The committee reported that the town applied for funding through the state revolving loan program and that an offer totaling about $3,600,000 had been communicated to the town. Clemons said roughly $1,500,000 of that package would be provided as a straight grant for "emerging contaminants" related to PFAS in the Bow Junction area, and that an additional $300,000 identified in the offer would be forgiven under the emerging-contaminant provisions; together, the committee described those elements as a large portion of the available grant/forgiveness funds for the project. Clemons cautioned that specific terms, final award amounts and deadlines are set in the state program and must be accepted promptly to secure the funding.

Clemons said the town is counting Bow Junctiona small cluster of homes on the Concord borderas eligible because the area includes at least 10 homes (the threshold the committee cited for a residential public water system) and therefore could qualify for the emerging-contaminant funding. The committee urged the selectmen to press Concord and regional partners to finalize approvals quickly so the town would not lose the current funding opportunity.

On regional service, Clemons reported a separate action: the town has issued a letter committing 600,000 gallons per day of capacity to a Hooksett extension request. She asked the selectmen and staff to share a copy of that letter with the committee; at the meeting she said the letter has been sent.

The committee also asked the town to submit a $10,000 Consolidation Grant application to the Drinking Water Trust Fund; Clemons said the application had not yet been filed and the committee offered to help complete it. She said a recommended scope for that study would include (1) evaluation of water rates for existing Bow customers, (2) assessment of any wholesale rate to Hooksett, and (3) analysis of rates for Bow Junction customers if they were to tie into municipal water.

Clemons notified the board that a separate Northern Borders catalyst/grant concept is being considered for feasibility work around the Colby (South Street) property and the so-called Bow Mill mixed-use area; that grant would fund a broader feasibility/market study rather than construction. The committee said it remains on record opposing a northward extension of municipal water until technical questions about residence water age and stagnation can be answered and until feasibility work supports the expansion.

Why it matters: the grant and loan package for PFAS response could substantially reduce the local cost of addressing contamination near Bow Junction, and the Hooksett and Colby-area proposals could reshape supply and development decisions in northern Bow. The committee urged the selectmen to act quickly because favorable funding rounds can expire.

Committee context and next steps: Clemons asked that the selectmen keep the committee informed about Concord contacts and approvals, asked staff for a copy of the Hooksett-capacity letter, and encouraged submission of the $10,000 consolidation study application. The committee also said it is short-staffed and seeking an additional volunteer member.

Ending: The selectmen did not take final action on any single funding acceptance at the Sept. 23 meeting; Clemons and the Drinking Water Protection Committee remain available to help with grant applications, negotiations with Concord, and review of proposed rate-study scopes.