Public comment period now open for proposed Bellamy River recharge facility

posted on: 5/12/2020

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services announced that a public comment period for a proposed artificial recharge facility located in the Pudding Hill aquifer along the Bellamy River in Dover is now open.

The NHDES draft Water Quality Certification for the proposed facility is available for public review and comment at https://www.des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/wmb/section401/coe_ind.htm.

The draft certification states that based on the facts, findings and conditions in the certification, NHDES has determined that there is reasonable assurance that the proposed activity will not violate state surface water quality standards.

The artificial recharge facility will withdraw water from the Bellamy River and discharge it to two infiltration basins. Groundwater recharge is needed to increase the sustainable yield of two of the City’s water supply production wells (Ireland and DP #1) and to help manage groundwater quality within the Pudding Hill Aquifer.

Public comments will be accepted until 4 p.m. on June 15, 2020. Only written comments will be accepted. Comments may be sent by postal mail, or email (email is preferred due to COVID-19 restrictions). Please include the project name/certification number, your name, and organization; mailing address, email address and telephone number with your submittal.

If submitting by mail, address to:

401 Certification Program (Attention: Gregg Comstock)
NHDES Watershed Management Bureau
P.O. Box 95
Concord, NH 03301-0095

If submitting by email, address to: gregg.comstock@des.nh.gov. (If possible, please use email due to COVID-19 restrictions)

For more information about the draft certification or if you have difficulties accessing a copy, please contact Gregg Comstock, Supervisor of the NHDES Water Quality Planning Section via email at gregg.comstock@des.nh.gov.

The public notice issued by NHDES can be viewed here.