System Overview
WATER: ESSENTIAL FOR PUBLIC HEALTH, QUALITY OF LIFE, AND FIRE PROTECTION
"Water is one of those things that people usually take for granted - until it is either gone or unsuitable to drink." The National Academies
Hookesett Village Water Precinct is a public water system providing safe, clean, and reliable water for drinking and fire protection purposes in the northern part of Hooksett, NH, centered in the historic area known as Hooksett Village. The Precinct's service area currently extends along RTs 3 and 3A, from the Pembroke town line southward to Memorial Drive (near Hannah-Ho-Hee Pond) and from the Bow town line southward to Sunrise Boulevard (about a mile north of RT 93, Exit 10).
The Precinct was formed in 1941 and is considered a Village District under NH law. Village districts or precincts constitute a specialized form of municipal government. As such, the Precinct is a limited purpose governmental unit having the same authority and power as the Town of Hooksett with respect to the purposes for which the Precinct was formed.
The affairs of the Precinct are managed by an elected five-member Board of Water Commissioners and supported by three additional elected officials, the Clerk, Moderator and Treasurer. The Commissioners possess the same powers and perform the same duties with respect to Precinct meetings and business, including preparing warrants and running elections, as the Selectmen for the Town do.
The Precinct water system is fed by several large gravel wells located in the vicinity of Pinnacle Pond. The water is disinfected and treated to reduce corrosion at the well stations. From there, the water travels to three storage tanks holding approximately 2.5 million gallons, and through 40± miles of distribution main and thousands of valves, meters and hydrants. In addition, the system includes an emergency interconnection with Central Hooksett Water Precinct on RT 3.
Maintaining this system in working order and in compliance with applicable regulations is no small task. For an overview of the increasingly complicated and critical duties, obligations and challenges of the Precinct and similar systems around NH, please refer to the helpful links below.
Our team of licensed water operators, dedicated water commissioners and very patient office manager work very hard to “keep the water flowing.” We are very grateful for our customers and we do our best to be responsive to user needs and emergencies. Please call, email or stop by our office with any water questions/concerns you may have.
HELPFUL LINKS
HVWP 2008 Approximate Service Area Map
HVWP 2021 Water Distribution System Map
HVWP March 2020 System Overview Presentation
AWWA’s DrinkTap water resource info pages
CDC - Water Sources, Public Water Systems & Private Wells
NCT’s Cutaway Drawing of a Typical Public Water System
NASA Water Cycle Animation
NASA Water Cycle - Detailed Video
“Drinking Water: Understanding the Science and Policy behind a Critical Resource”
“This booklet provides an introduction to drinking water issues. It draws from a body of independent, peer-reviewed expert consensus reports from the National Research Council to provide an overview of public water supply and demand, water management and conservation, options for the government and the private sector, and the economic and ecological aspects of drinking water.”
“We tend to take clean, safe drinking water for granted. We turn the faucet on and there it flows. Water Works traces water from its source to faucets, and shows the challenges to our water supply like aging infrastructure, drought and pollution. It also examines what's being done to address these issues and how to keep clean water flowing in New Hampshire.”
NH Water Sustainability Commission’s “NH Lives on Water”
“Water is our most valuable natural asset, and if we manage it well, our water offers New Hampshire a competitive advantage. It supports and is vital to a healthy environment, individuals, communities and the state economy. In short, New Hampshire lives on water.”