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The Waste Water Facility has
just completed Phase 1, which involved upgrading the septic
area and
cleaning the lagoons. Phase 2, which is in the
beginning stages involved the acquisition of the Balcastro
property for affluent percolation to eliminate the Suncook
River as an outlet for treated affluent.
Pittsfield Receives
Department of Environmental Services Septage Grant Funds
Project increases state
septage capacity
DES has awarded $33,504 to
the town of Pittsfield for creating innovative alternative
septage treatment. These funds represent
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DES
Commissioner Nolin (right) presents a check to
Pittsfield town officials, Arthur Morse and Ron
Vein. |
the
first monies from the newly-created state funded septage
disposal grant program, referred to as the State Aid Grant
Plus (SAG Plus). The award reimburses the town 50 percent of
eligible costs incurred while conducting the pilot project.
DES Commissioner Michael Nolin presented the grant to the
town at a ceremony held at the Pittsfield Town Hall in
August. This award ceremony was designed to recognize the
leadership efforts of town officials and the importance of
innovative and alternative technologies to increase the
state's septage disposal capacity.
Pittsfield's two-year
project, which involved a public/private partnership with
Bill Gosse of Gosse Septic Service, resulted in the town's
wastewater treatment plant being able to significantly
increase its septage disposal capacity. During the 2003-2004
project, Pittsfield Water Pollution Control Facility
processed more than 1.3 million gallons of raw septage. The
project showed that the facility could support as much as 3
million gallons per year with strict control on filtrate
quality. In the first full year of operation
following the project, the Pittsfield facility received 2.8
million gallons of septage
Increasing septage disposal
capacity is important to the local residents
 and
to the environment because it helps keep the costs
associated with the proper maintenance of a septic system
affordable. Approximately 80% of new development in
the state relies on septic systems to treat sanitary wastes.
Septic system failure poses a threat of contamination to the
state's water resources and creates a public health problem.
Additionally, this facility is important for New Hampshire
because it expands our overall septage disposal capacity.
Currently, New Hampshire has a deficit of septage disposal
capacity as it sends 27% of septage generated out of
state.
All New Hampshire
municipalities have a statutory responsibility to provide or
assure access to septage disposal for their residents. The
SAG Plus was created through the efforts of the Septage Task
Force and the New Hampshire Legislature as a proactive
method of creating much needed additional disposal capacity.
DES is presently working with communities around the state
to increase their septage capacity through the SAG Plus
Program.
For more information about the award
presentation or SAG Plus, please contact Ray Gordon, DES
septage coordinator, at (603) 271-3571 or
rgordon@des.state.nh.us.
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