Hampstead Water Services: Plaistow system meeting standards while staff watch disinfection byproducts

Charlie Lanza, general manager of Hampstead Water Services, told the Plaistow Board of Selectmen on July 28 that the town's water system is meeting state and federal requirements, and staff are tracking seasonal water-quality issues and administration tasks affecting customers and commercial properties.

Lanza said the system, which began operating around August–September 2022, currently shows overall water quality “excellent.” He flagged disinfection byproducts, primarily haloacetic acids (HAA5), as the key parameter being monitored: “We're right around 41, just shy of 41. The limit is the blue line, which is 60,” Lanza said, describing how the running annual average is calculated from quarterly samples. He said a tank temperature above about 74–75 degrees Fahrenheit makes it harder to control those byproducts and that the town could use flushing or chemical dosing at the tank if…