BY RYAN O’CONNOR
The Bow Drinking Water Protection Committee is dedicated to keeping the world’s most valuable resource clean and healthy for generations to come.
As one of many current projects, committee members are trying to set an example for residents by looking at chemical-free methods of preserving grass and other green town-managed areas.
Chairman Sandy Crystall said groups, the school district, the Department of Public Works and the Recreation Department, manage such areas.
The school district has a subcommittee, led by School Board member Pansy Bloomfield, and Crystall said the two sides have been working together and have identified Evans Cemetery, on White Rock Hill Road, as a potential test site for using organic soil and fertilizer.
Selectman Eric Anderson, a member of the committee, said he is enthusiastic in his support of
reducing the potential threat to groundwater through using organic means.
“If this is the way we can do it and still achieve green, bug-free grass that’s nonpolluting to our groundwater, then I’m all for it,” said Anderson. “Because Bow is becoming more and more residential and because we’re turning all these wooded areas into nicely groomed lawns, and since we’re putting all these chemicals on the surface, it would be nice to examine this option to, in the long term, preserve our clean water resources.”
Anderson said results won’t be realized in the first year, may not be noticeable in the second year, but should be evident in the third year and beyond.
But organic soil does not come cheap, said Crystall, though she noted the benefit outweighs the additional cost.
“It’s more expensive; that is true, but it’s not just fertilizer we may use. There are other treatment options like corn gluten, which can be used on lawns,” she said, adding that the short- term cost may be higher, but ultimately, the long-term maintenance cost should be less.
“Sometimes it takes a few years to get it started, but once you have a healthy lawn and you have what you want growing on it, it usually keeps unwanted stuff out,” Crystall said. “Plus, we’re not putting a dollar value on the environmental benefit, but we really should because if we’re protecting our environment by protecting our drinking water then there is a much larger long-term health benefit to consider as well.”
The test, said Crystall, is an example of the committee trying to set an example for residents.
She said people should have their soil analyzed before treating their lawn because different types of lawns and gardens may use lime or another alternative to fertilizer.
Resident Susan Wheeler says she supports protecting local drinking water by any means.
“Drinking water is pretty important and the main reason I would be concerned, especially around Evans Cemetery is that it sits near the high school, which is also near where the old town dump sat. “I would be very wary of any drinking water in certain areas, especially near the high school or any area that floods often,” said Wheeler. “Contamination is contamination, whether it’s from a dump that has been capped years ago or if it’s from septic systems failing, I agree it should be looked into.”
But not all residents see the benefit.
April Fay said she would rather see the town hook into a central water and sewage system.
“I think I would rather see us try to get on Concord city water if that’s possible,” she said. “I’d rather see us not rely on wells so much, then we wouldn’t have to worry about water run off, especially with schools and local businesses. I guess I’d rather see the additional money go to something like that.”
The committee is active in other areas as well, said Crystall, who explained that Bow Selectmen created the Drinking Water Protection Committee after the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES) selected the town to participate in its source water protection plan.
The DES, said Crystall, helps fund the committee and its studies, which has been successful in identifying potential threats to quality and quantity of drinking water in town, both now and in the future.
“We’re trying to get people to change practices to be more environment friendly because we all basically share the same pool of water,” she said.
In the first several months, after the committee was created, members set a variety of action items, including developing well protection plans and deciding to have the town set an example for residents.
After looking at several town buildings, it determined that the water and septic upkeep of some municipal entities were lacking.
Most of those issues, said Crystall, have since been rectified.
Another major component of the committee, she said, is outreach, including setting up information tables on town Election Day and distributing pamphlets on septic maintenance.
Recently, the town received a DES grant to map storm water runoff around town and where contaminants may go. The study included culverts and other department of public works related maintenance, with which the committee and DPW can work together.
The committee is also in the midst of updating its Web site, www.bow-nh.com/drinking
water.asp. Once it is finished, it will include information about the committee’s practices, and links to resources for residents looking to better manage their lawn and well water.