Sewer Extension to the Lake Project
Project Description:
March 7 Update: The Town obtained authorization by Town Meeting to extend sewers around portions of Newfound Lake to the residential neighborhoods near and adjacent to the Newfound Lake area.
The Select Board proceeded in a stepwise fashion with the engineering of the project. At its March 3, 2022, meeting, the Select Board voted to in favor of deferring the next steps for the Lake District Sewer Project, but will be advancing needed CIP projects including the EDA and CDBG grant funding programs. The grant funds acquired for these items along with additional grants funds that will be applied for will cover the Central Street Pump Station and other Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects to replace aging and failing infrastructire around Central Street. See figure below.
This Fact Sheet and Project Map give an updated explanation of the project. This is the Select Board Packet with the information the Board members used in their decision-making process.
The motions explanations made at the March 3 Select Board meeting to scale the project were as follows:
Motion #1: Based on the preliminary design information received to date from Underwood Engineers, Inc., including user rate and tax rate impacts, I make a motion to defer the final design and construction phase of the Newfound Lake Sewer Project.
Explanation:
- The cost impact to the new sewer users around the Lake is substantial.
- There are other competing financial needs in Town.
- Many in Town do not support the project based on feedback at public meetings
- It is understood that this may result in turning back RD money ($6.3M in grant and $10.5M in loan) that was secured for this project.
Motion #2: I move to continue the EDA and CDBG projects that include a sewer extension on Lake Street of approximately 5,000 feet, the planning for the Summer and Lake Street corridor in cooperation with NHDOT, and to advance the replacement of the Central Street Pumping Station (not repairs). Further to replace the Central Street force main (~2,500 feet).
Explanation as follows:
- Next step is to advance the design phase. Design contracts will be requested.
- The total budgeted costs for these projects is $6,900,000 as identified in a March 1, 2022 letter from Underwood Engineers.
- EDA and CDBG grants include $3,520,000 and $500,000 respectively. The balance will come from the Town (GF and users). It is intended that the debt service will be split 50-50 between the users and the General Fund.
- Additional loan and grant applications will be submitted to NHDES to request additional funding potentially reducing costs to the Town.
- It is intended that the borrowing authority from 2019 Town Meeting will be used to pursue loans and grants.
- Assuming no additional grant is obtained, it is estimated a $2.9M loan will be necessary to support the work, which is less than the Town’s current authority.
- Assuming a $2.9M loan, a 20-year payback schedule and 2.75% interest, this results in approximately = $190,000/year debt payments. A 50-50 split between the sewer users and general fund would result in the following:
- Approximately 20% average user rate impact.
- Approximately $0.17/$1,000 tax rate impact
March 3, 2022 Update:
The Select Board held multiple work sessions with the engineering team to determine if and how the project should move forward. Videos of its work sessions and deliberations can be found below. Ultimately, the Select Board decided to scale back the project.
March 3, 2022 Select Board Meeting Video
March 1, 2022 Select Board Meeting Video
February 24, 2022 Select Board Work Session with Underwood Engineers Video
February 17, 2022 Select Board Work Session with Underwood Engineers Video
February 3, 2022 Update:
The Select Board with Underwodd Engineers on February 3, 2022, for a project update and work session. This is the link to the video of this Select Board Work Session. The video can also be viewed on community access tv channel 24.
This work session focused on discussing the updated route and design, addressing concerns raised by some community members, costs of the project and next steps. The Select Board took the information into consideration and will be drafting additional questions and thoughts for another work session with the engineers on February 17.
September 24, 2021 Update:
Planning and engineering for the project continues to move forward. The Select Board hosted three "neighborhood meetings" on September 21, 22 and 23 to provide an update to the public.
Video from September 21 || Video from September 22 || Video from September 23 not available
Powerpoint Slides from the meetings
Our engineers from Underwood Engineers and Water/Sewer Superintendent Jeff Chartier will continue to meet with individuals and groups to explain the project. If you would like to meet with them, please contact Jeff to make an appointment at 744-5400 or [email protected].
The project will continue to advance forward with refinements to the final design, cost estimates, and so on. We are also keeping watch of additional funding that may become available from the Federal and State governments. The Select Board will be hosting another set of public meetings in the early winter to provide progress updates. Watch this page for more details.
November 19, 2020 Update:
The Select Board held a work session with Underwood Engineers to get updated and discuss possible next steps. The session is viewable in full here.
July 21, 2020 Update:
This video is a narrative about the Low Pressure Sewers (LPSS's) that Underwood Engineers--also Bristol's engineering firm for the project--put in around Perkins Pond in Sunapee. It’s from the perspective of the property owners themselves. This may be useful for people who wonder about the LPSS's that may be used in certain areas around Newfound Lake.
July 13, 2020 Update:
There will be three public information sessions held at the Historic Town Hall (45 Summer Street) for anyone wishing to learn more about the status of the project, proposed rates if the project moves ahead, etc. The sessions will be August 5, September 2, and October 7. All sessions will be 6:30-8:00pm. The sessions will be recorded and broadcast on Public Access Channel 24 in case you are not able to attend.
We are requesting that any questions you can think of ahead of time be submitted to Water/Sewer Superintendent Jeff Chartier by email. This will help us get the most complete answer possible at the session.
July 10, 2020 Update:
On July 6, Water/Sewer Superintendent Jeff Chartier and Engineer Tim Puls from Underwood Engineers provided the Select Board an update on the status of the Sewer Extension project. The grant and loan package from USDA Rural Development has been approved for $16.8 million, while a grant application has been submitted to USEDA for $4.4 million, and a final grant application for $500,000 will soon be submitted to NHCDFA. The Town is also continuing to work with NHDOT on timing the project to coincide with the reconstruction of NH Route 3A/Lake Street, which is in the State's Ten Year Transportation Plan.
Once the results of the pending applications are known, the Select Board will call for a public hearing to update the public on the project and to make a final decision on whether to proceed with construction. During the months of August-October, the project team will hold informational sessions to update the public on the status of the project and to answer questions.
The project team has put together the following draft documents for the public for informational purposes only. Please check back from time to time as these documents and others are updated as more information becomes available.
Previous Documents:
Preliminary Engineering Report
Public Handout for the Project (Older, 2019 rate data)