Eryka Reid

Do you know where your water comes from and where it goes when it leaves your house? Well New Hampshire Public Television partnered with Manchester Water Water Works, Manchester Wastewater Treatment Plant, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and many other organizations to create a documentary all about New Hampshire water. Water Works traces waster from where it starts, to faucets, and shows all of the challenges that infrastructure, drought and pollution has to the water supply throughout the Granite State.

Thanks to Epping Well & Pump, EnviroVantage Staff, Weston & Sampson, New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC), NH Water Works Association New Hampshire Water Pollution Control Association (NHWPCA), Resource Management, Inc. (RMI), Skillings & Sons, Inc., Granite State Rural Water Association New Hampshire, Home Magazine and the Coca Cola Bottling Company of Northern New England for funding the production of this very important documentary.

Watch the documentary here: Water Works Documentary

The plug has been pulled on Indeck Energy Services Inc. Biomass Plant in Alexandria, NH. A weak wholesale market and low reimbursement rates under the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) law are the key factors driving this biomass plant to shut down by month’s end.

Back in February, HB 225 threatened to repeal NH’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) program which is essential in keeping Biomass Plants throughout New Hampshire operating. The RPS supports solar, hydro, geothermal, wind and other renewable technologies.

Wood Ash has been used by farmers to improve soil and crop production for centuries. However, wood ash was not available as a commodity for large-scale use until the 1980s when several wood-fired electrical-generating power plants were built throughout the Northeast. The benefits of these wood-fired power plants were two-fold: the production of local, clean, renewable energy, and the other product generated – organic wood ash. Wood Ash is the perfect product for Northeastern soils because it is a natural, local fertilizer that has the added benefit of fast-acting lime.

The shutting down of this biomass plant has consequences towards suppliers, certain vendors and most importantly the employees. It is a sad day in the biomass world to have a plant shut down and hopefully Indeck, the New Hampshire Timberland Owners Association and other groups can work to get the state to recognize the importance of the RPS for all of New Hampshire.

Over the past few months, aging water and wastewater infrastructure has been a large topic of discussion throughout New Hampshire and all over the United States. In order to supply water to homes and businesses, the US depends on a network of underground pipes, which at this point are all aging and have exceeded the end of their useful life. Unfortunately, these improvements seem to go untouched because there is little to no funding for the work that needs to be done.

On March 8, 2017 the New Hampshire Water Pollution Control Association (NHWPCA) and New England Water Environment Association (NEWEA) held their annual Water’s Worth It! Legislative Breakfast that brings together water and wastewater professionals and New Hampshire Legislators to talk about the importance of clean water and the need to update the infrastructure. The meeting was well attended with over 35 legislatures and over 50 water and wastewater professionals. Senator Jeanne Shaheen was unable to attend but she supplied the organizations with a video voicing her stance on the matter and advocating for the need to update the infrastructure throughout New Hampshire.

Also in New Hampshire this week, John Boisvert Chief Engineer at Pennichuck Water and a Commissioner at the Water Sustainability Commission, Jim Gallagher Chief Engineer at the N.H. Department of Environmental Services and Fred McNeill  Chief Engineer at the Environmental Protection Division of the City of Manchester talked with Laura Knoy from New Hampshire Public Radio’s (NHPR) The Exchange. They talked about how New Hampshire’s wastewater and dam infrastructure are old, crumbling, and vulnerable to severe weather. Intense storms, flooding, and drought have all contributed to the damage, and many of our dams and underground pipes are over 100 years old.

According to the 2017 Infrastructure Report Card released by the American Society of Civil Engineers the United States (ASCE) scored a D in drinking water and a D+ in wastewater infrastructure.

The ASCE estimates that the wastewater infrastructure throughout the United States exceeds $271 billion

Radhika Fox, CEO of the US Water Alliance, said: “Water is essential to everything we do. Every community in the country relies on drinking water and wastewater service, and many sectors of our economy are completely reliant on water as well. A D and D+ are daunting grades, but I am optimistic about our future because I see the innovative work of the members of the US Water Alliance every day.”

Fox continued: “I want to thank the ASCE for its steadfast work to shine a light on the incredibly important issue of infrastructure investment. It was a topic that was overlooked for far too long, but we believe is starting to get the attention it deserves. This report reinforces the fact that we need to make reinvesting in water a national priority.”

So what can we do to fix the problem? Both Governor Sununu and President Trump have laid out plans to funnel more money into infrastructure, specifically roads and bridges, but engineers and water and wastewater professionals worry that not enough money will be directed towards water infrastructure. Until, we see money start to trickle in the best way to improve the situation is through awareness and education.

Wood ash has been used by farmers to improve soil and crop production for centuries. However, wood ash was not available as a commodity for large-scale use until the 1980s when several wood-fired electrical-generating power plants were built throughout the Northeast. The benefits of these wood-fired power plants were two-fold: the production of local, clean, renewable energy, and the other product generated – organic wood ash. Wood Ash is the perfect product for Northeastern soils because it is a natural, local fertilizer that has the added benefit of fast-acting lime.

Right now, wood ash and Biomass Plants throughout New Hampshire are facing a challenge. HB 225 is threatening to repeal NH’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) program which is essential in keeping Biomass Plants throughout New Hampshire operating. It also supports solar, hydro, geothermal, wind and other renewable technologies.

Yesterday, Shelagh Connelly and Charley Hanson from RMI, along with 50 other people testified, while over 125 people traveled to the Concord State House to support the RPS. RMI supplied informational handouts and sample bags of Wood Ash from local Biomass Plants to the committee who were thrilled to see the product close up.

Spread the word and read more about HB 225 and NH’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) program below:

http://gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_status/billText.aspx?sy=2017&id=327&txtFormat=html

In 2002, The International Union of Soil Sciences proposed that the 5^th of December be World Soil Day (WSD) and should be dedicated to celebrating the importance of soils. Under the leadership of the Kingdom of Thailand and within the “Global Soil Partnership”, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) have turned WSD into a worldwide platform to connect people with soils and raise awareness on their critical importance in our day-to-day lives. The FAO held a conference in June 2013 that focused solely around World Soil Day and in December of 2013 the 68^th UN General Assembly officially declared December 5^th as the World Soil Day!

Head over to our Facebook page to be entered to win an “I Heart Soil” T-shirt and to spread the word!

For more information about WSD head over to the Food and Agricultural Organization website here!