Ed. Note: The following is a statement in support of the Ballam Farm conservation easement prepared by Jennifer Palmiotto, Source Water Specialist and Walpole resident. CCB
April 11, 2007
STATEMENT OF SUPPORT
FOR THE BALLAM FARM PROJECT
PREPARED BY
JENNIFER PALMIOTTO, SOURCE WATER SPECIALIST
In 2002 the Town of Walpole asked Rural Water to facilitate a planning process to develop a source water protection plan to promote protection of the Town’s public drinking water supply. Following a public meeting early in 2002, the Board of Selectmen appointed an eleven member steering
committee to accomplish this work. The Committee was comprised of members representing a variety of backgrounds and viewpoints including the Water Department, Town Boards, local businesses including agricultural interests, and interested residents. The Committee’s work took approximately 12 months and culminated in:
• An inventory of potential contamination sources within the wellhead protection areas
• An assessment of threats
• A review of current zoning
• A review of available scientific data
• And a 67 page report which summarized the above and proposed 15 discrete
recommendations.
One of the recommendations highlighted in this report was to explore the possibility of acquiring land within the wellhead protection areas to better protect the sources of Walpole’s public water supply. The Ballam Farm project meets this objective by protecting land within the wellhead protection area for the River well.
The wellhead protection area was delineated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in August 2001 and approved by NH DES in 2002. The wellhead protection area was delineated using an analytical Uniform Flow equation and hydrogeologic modeling methodologies. Ideally land in the
wellhead protection area should be conserved. At the very least land uses in this area should be compatible with drinking water development. The Ballam Farm project represents an opportunity to conserve land within the River Well wellhead protection area and also continue land use which is compatible with Water Supply purposes.
Granite State Rural Water commends the Town of Walpole for its foresight in seeking to protect this well which is located in one of the State’s most high yielding aquifers. Based upon the delineation developed by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the recommendations developed by the Walpole Source Water Protection Committee, and sound wellhead protection practices, Rural Water supports the principles of this project and hopes that Walpole’s citizenry will see fit to make this project a reality.
322 Village Street
Penacook, NH 03303
Tel. 603.753.4055
info@gsrwa.com
www.gsrwa.com
