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Select Board reviews Bow Junction water extension, $3.6M in state aid and tank vs. booster options
Summary
At a Jan. 13 workshop the Bow Select Board heard engineers outline a proposed extension to bring Concord water to Bow Junction/Bow Mills, preliminary borings, a DES funding package totaling about $3.6 million, and options to address high‑elevation service using either a new tank or booster stations; final DES application is due in May and town meeting authorization will be required for borrowing.
Engineers updated the Bow Select Board on Jan. 13 about plans to extend water from the City of Concord northward to serve Bow Junction and Bow Mills, including recent subsurface borings and a preliminary funding package from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES).
Nick, the project presenter, told the board the state has indicated approximately $3,600,000 in assistance, describing the package as roughly $1.8 million in a drinking‑water SRF loan (the DES letter listed 10% principal forgiveness for that loan), about $300,000 in an SRF emerging‑contaminant loan with 100% principal forgiveness, and roughly $1.5 million in an emerging‑contaminant grant. "We got notification that DES was providing some financial assistance available to the tune of, $3,600,000," he said. He added the 10% forgiveness on the SRF loan is not final and will be resolved during the final application process.
Board members emphasized two immediate constraints: first, the town has not yet received a formal agreement from the City of Concord to allow the connection (a 60,000‑gallons‑per‑day request was described as being under Concord review); and second, DES funding eligibility and forgiveness levels are finalized only after the town submits a complete final application. Nick said the final DES application is due in May and that, if borrowing is part of the plan, the town must obtain authority to borrow at town meeting.
The workshop also reviewed alternatives for serving higher‑elevation parcels north of town. Engineers presented two general approaches: constructing an additional elevated storage tank or using one or more booster‑pump stations with associated hydropneumatic storage. The alternatives differ in scale: a smaller booster arrangement might serve roughly 40 parcels while a larger booster zone could serve about 150 parcels. Nick noted the tradeoffs, including concerns about water age in a second tank, the electricity and maintenance demands of multiple pumps, and the need for adequate storage for pump operation.
On hydraulics, the presenter said the transmission main would sit close to a 20‑psi threshold under some scenarios and recommended follow‑up with permitting and operational staff to confirm acceptable minimum pressures for a transmission main that might carry few or no service connections. The board asked for lifecycle cost estimates and clearer estimates of the demand the extension would serve; Nick said plans and specifications are at roughly the 60% level and that unit pricing will be refined this spring.
The board also discussed funding alternatives. Town members noted the TIF district balance was discussed as roughly $2,000,000 and asked whether the town could use TIF cash as local match or instead take an SRF loan and repay early from local reserves. Several members asked staff to confirm with DES whether using local funds in place of the SRF loan would affect grant eligibility and forgiveness. No formal action was taken; the board directed staff to continue follow‑up with DES and the City of Concord and to prepare information needed for a final application and a potential town‑meeting warrant article.
