Page 11 - FEB2022

February 2022
NEWFOUNDLAKELIFE.COM
Letters to the Editor
Page 11
Community
included. I encourage you to contact your Selectmen with questions. If you don’t show up and don’t speak, someone will make your decision for you.
I was taught to stand up straight and carry my own weight and take responsibility for my own problems. Why haven’t peo- ple at the lake taken care of their systems? Why aren’t they re- quired to fix their own problem? Time to get out the checkbook and take personal responsibility.
Mary Gebhart Bristol NH
hook-up fees are nerve racking. But we have the responsibility here to keep an open mind and carefully consider both the cost to do the project, as well as the cost on our kids, grandkids, or great grandkids if we do nothing.
Paul Bemis
Castle Lane, Bristol, NH
RE: Sewer to Newfound Lake
I was initially in favor of this project. I kept an open mind. I started a fact finding mission of my own. I am not longer a sup- porter.
Please consider these facts.
Funding. Even the king of the environment, the Department of Environmental Services, refused to fund this project. As far back as their records went, including the ones submitted for the proj- ect, there is no scientific/factual proof that Bristol septic failures are causing the build-up of phos- phorus in the water. So no envi- ronmental money for a project
Dear Editor,
Let’s first dispel the myth that our Select Board is trying to sneak something by us as a con- venient way to convince people to oppose the “sewer to the lake” project. Our Select Board are volunteers whom we elected, and try to do the right thing for our community at a tremendous im- pact to own their personal time.
The issue here is our most valuable resources: our lake, riv- ers and water supply. They are the economic engine of our com- munity and emotional sanctuary for all that live and vacation here. The fact is population growth around the southern part of our lake is high. For those of us who
Thank you to the Community
The staff, volunteers, and clients at Haven Pregnancy Ser- vices would like to thank every- one who gave a donation this holiday season. Due to all of the donations we received, our cli- ents, their babies, and their older children had a season full of joy. As well as financial donations, those who donated to Haven provided diapers, wipes, new clothing, jackets, boots, blankets, and toys. Our moms and dads were given gift cards to the local grocery stores and stores that will help them provide for their families. When one of our dads came to pick up his family gifts, he shared how overwhelmed with thankfulness he was for the generosity of the community.
that was billed and voted on by the town, as environmental.
Non-binding vote. Even though it was recognized the second vote on the project was non-binding, the citizens felt that if a clear message was sent to the selectman, it would be a obvious indicator the project was not sup- ported, because facts not initially presented were surfacing. For ex- ample, the engineers state they have right of ways to go across to Hall Road. They have admitted in open meeting they do not have them, and the landowners have said no.
Engineering. If you read the fact sheet you will see that
have lived here for a number of years, the growth is quite visible, and the pandemic has increased it significantly. The system we are relying on to handle the human waste from this rapidly increas- ing population is a water based leaching system. The phospho- rus rich water leaching from these systems is pulled by gravity to the lowest point in the geog- raphy, which is Newfound Lake, Newfound River, and the under- ground aquafers where much of our drinking water originates. This is simple physics, and noth- ing we can prevent. The question before us is at what point does the population density trigger the first algae bloom and make our water unsafe to enter or drink?
All that Haven Pregnancy Services provides is free of charge, including pregnancy testing and ultrasounds for all women. We also offer classes about pregnancy, parenting, and healthy relationships. Our Baby Boutique is stocked with baby and toddler clothing, diapers, jackets, blankets, and so much more! All of this is thanks to our donors – no matter what time of year it is.
It is important to all of us at Haven Pregnancy Services to say THANK YOU! We could not do what we do without your support.
Sincerely,
Haven Pregnancy Services Plymouth, NH 03264
the engineers estimate on how many people will hook up is “50/50”. In other words they have no idea, (and admitted as much at open meeting). If less than 50% of those lake residents hook up, you still have the same sunk costs, maintenance, and op- erations, without the fees from users, which will come back to bite everybody in our property taxes. It still has to be paid from somewhere, because the whole system has to run, even if you only have 10 people hooked to it. If your septic system was built after 1986, and you have it in- spected and passed, you can get a waiver and not hook up – but
None of us know for sure, but if we continue to rely on leaching water-based sewage systems, it will happen as some point.
Each of us has likely boasted to a friend about how clean our lake is. How it is “one of the cleanest lakes in the country, or maybe world. And did you taste the water? Did you see
you still have to pay betterment fees whether you use it or not. We end up with an overbuilt system. So in the realm of benefits/cost ratio, do you see a benefit yet?
Cost. Ours first, then theirs. Bristol got Rural Development funding in the form of a Grant – approximately half the cost. But, in order for Bristol to receive that grant money, we have to spend our $10,000,000 town bond money first. Then if we’ve done what we said, we get the grant money. Does that bother you?
In the original town warrant that was voted on and passed in March 2019, you will see that there was no $/thousand
our Spring? Clean fresh water flows right out of the pipe, and it’s free!” It’s what makes this place special and unique. What is the opportunity cost to lose this claim? Can we measure it only in money, or is it priceless?
The projected costs and po-
tential tax increases scare us
all. The talk of lift pumps and
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