WRBP at a Glance Testimonials: “The WRBP is the Lakes Region’s realization of what can be accomplished through regional cooperation” and “has had a profound impact on the quality of life and water quality of the Lake Winnipesaukee watershed.” – Jeff Hayes, Director, Lakes Region Planning Commission Winnipesaukee River Owner/Operator: New Hampshire Basin Program (WRBP) Department of Environmental Services, “The IPP is essential to WRBP communities Water Division, WRBP Bureau. as it provides the technical assistance Statutory Authority: RSA 485-A:45-54. necessary to meet permit requirements like Communities Served: Bay District for the Franklin Waterworks without the (portions of Center Harbor and need for costly process modifications.” – Moultonborough), Belmont, Franklin, Brian Sullivan, WRBP Advisory Board; Gilford, Laconia, Meredith, Northfield, Franklin Municipal Services Director Sanbornton and Tilton. Gallons Treated/Year: 1.5 million gallons septic; 2.2 billion gallons wastewater. “There would be no Upper Merrimack Total Expenditures: Operating, Monitoring Program without the administration & capital debt repayment. Winnipesaukee River Basin Program.” – FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20 Michele Tremblay, Chair, Upper Merrimack $4.2M $4.7M $4.4M $4.5M 4.8M 4.7M River Advisory Committee Staffing: 18 full-time positions. Franklin Wastewater Treatment Plant Achievements: EPA Region I and National First Place Facility O&M Excellence Award. Outstanding Industrial Pretreatment Winnipesaukee River Basin Program The state-owned collection Program National 2nd Place Award. system and wastewater Governor's Excellence in Energy 528 River Street, P.O. Box 68 Efficiency Award. Franklin, NH 03235 treatment facility serving 10 NHWPCA Operator of the Year. Phone: (603) 934-4032 WEF George W. Burke Safety Award. Fax: (603) 934-4831 Lakes Region communities Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) and Balanced Scorecard Initiative. https://www.des.nh.gov/waste/was NHWPCA Plant of the Year. tewater/winnipesaukee-river-basin- – visit the WRBP website for details – program Beneficiaries & Benefits of the WRBP Member Community Sewer Connections Customers: Residents and businesses in Central New In addition to the WRBP’s main interceptor, 14 pump Hampshire; citizens and visitors to New Hampshire stations, and treatment plant, there is a vast network who enjoy the beautiful, clean lakes and rivers. of local sewer infrastructure that is owned and maintained by each respective community or by Services: Operates and maintains the state-owned private parties. These local sewers connect to the sewer system serving over 14,500+ residential homes and businesses in each community. connections in 10 communities (or 43% of the population - not including the influx of tourists each Understanding Sewer Rates year). Serves as an outlet for septic and holding tank disposal from more than 80 New Hampshire The WRBP is funded by the communities it serves. A communities and numerous RV vacationers. Industrial portion of the sewer bill collected by each community Pretreatment Program (IPP) permits and inspects 17 is passed on to the WRBP and goes toward the costs industries and has permitted over 180 new commercial of operating and maintaining the collection and businesses since 2005. treatment of millions of gallons of wastewater per day (costing about 2/10th of a penny per gallon treated per NH Challenges Addressed by the WRBP year). It’s important to understand that a rate increase on your sewer bill does not necessarily For decades preceding the Clean Water Act (CWA), reflect an increase in WRBP costs. In fact, the WRBP’s discharges of untreated and poorly treated wastewater total costs have increased by an average of only 2% into Central New Hampshire Lakes and Rivers resulted over the past 10 years. The chart below shows the in "pea soup" conditions and fish kills in Lake annual residential sewer rate for each community Winnipesaukee, Lake Winnisquam, and the Tioga and with the portion attributable to the WRBP Winnipesaukee highlighted. Rivers. The WRBP was created in the Annual Residential Sewer Rates 1970s as part of $1,600 CWA efforts to $1,400 construct $1,200 wastewater $1,000 infrastructure Algae bloom - unnamed water body ©1972 and eliminate $800 $600 these discharges. This program preserves water quality in the Lakes and Rivers of Central New Hampshire, $400 supporting The red line is the WRBP state-owned interceptor, $200 tourism and the main sewer line that collects wastewater from $0 recreational member communities. The red dots along the opportunities, interceptor are pump stations that move the flow enhancing along to its destination, the Franklin Wastewater economic and Treatment Plant, shown with a red star. The blue residential Mill discharge coloring a local river ©1960 Community portion of sewer rate development, and helping create a prosperous and star is the WRBP Maintenance Facility in Laconia, WRBP portion of sewer rate thriving environment centrally located to the service area. with sustainable water resources. NHDES-WRBP 10/15/2020 .