CONCORD – Merrimack State Representative Dick Hinch thanked members of the Drinking Water And Groundwater Advisory Commission for their vote to approve a loan and grant application by the Merrimack Village District (MVD) for improvements to MVD Wells #2, #3, #7, & #8 to reduce levels of PFAS to below detection.
“I’d like to commend the Merrimack Village District Board of Commissioners, the Merrimack Village District personnel, and the project engineers for working with the subcommittee and full committee, and putting together a solid plan of action. This project is critical for the health and safety of the residents of Merrimack. I thank the members of the Drinking Water And Groundwater Advisory Commission for their unanimous vote to approve a grant and loan package this morning,” Hinch said. “I will continue to work with state and local leaders behind the scenes to address Merrimack’s water crisis, and this is just one of many fronts by which we can make progress.”
The total grant amount is $1,450,000. The total loan amount is $6,264,500.
The Drinking Water And Groundwater Advisory Commission is a state board comprised of House and Senate members, executive branch department officials, and appointed public members. The commission reviews and approves grants and loans, revolving loan funds, and matching funds to projects on a competitive basis from the drinking water and groundwater trust fund. All disbursements or grants require approval of the governor and council. According to state law, funds may be awarded if the project meets one of the following criteria:
(1) Emergency remediation is necessary, where contamination to drinking water or groundwater is prevalent.
(2) Planning, design, and building of aging water infrastructure is involved.
(3) The project protects against future contamination or impacted drinking water sources through measures including, but not limited to, the expansion of drinking water infrastructure or drinking water source protection.
(4) The project assists local and regional entities in the development and administration of local wellhead protection programs, including delineation of wellhead protection areas and the inventory and management of activities which have a potential effect on groundwater quality.
(5) The project provides funding through cost-sharing grants to municipalities, municipally-owned water utilities, and water utilities regulated by the public utilities commission for the design, construction, and extension of public water systems, and the establishment and expansion of wellhead protection areas where they provide the most cost effective method for providing safe and clean drinking water.
(b) Take land preservation into consideration.
(c) Encourage all applicants to provide matching funds beyond the minimum.