Water Conservation Encouraged for Concord Consumers

Drought conditions are developing across the nation due to lack of rainfall and snowpack from this winter. As of June 25, over 72% of New Hampshire (including Concord) is experiencing moderate drought conditions while the remainder experiences abnormally dry conditions. Precipitation for Concord is about 5.68 inches below average for this time of year.

There has been a noticeable increase in water production at the City of Concord’s Water Treatment Facility recently averaging 6.8 MGD (millions of gallons per day) earlier last week and now pushing 7.5 MGD each day this week. For this time of year, the typical amount is 5.5 MGD. Based on stable water flow at the City’s wastewater treatment facilities, Concord’s high water use indicates demand is coming from increased irrigation and outdoor water use driven by drought conditions.

Currently there are no water restrictions in place for Concord since water supply levels at Penacook Lake remain decent. However, water conservation is strongly encouraged. “We ask everyone to please use water wisely. Be mindful of your water use, especially outdoors,” stated Marco Philippon, Water Treatment Superintendent for the City of Concord. “Concord’s water supply is healthy, but we advise water customers to conserve use as a proactive measure to manage our water resource.”

Simple measures to take when conserving water include minimizing irrigation, lawn watering, and inspecting systems for water leaks. Practice watering at night or early morning to minimize evaporation and consider using weather-based irrigation controllers to avoid unnecessary watering.

Drought updates and water conservation tips will be available on the City’s website at www.concordnh.gov/conservation and on Concord General Services’ social media pages.