Water Supply Land Protection Grants
Administering Agency
New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
Purpose
To provide grant funds for the acquisition of land or conservation easements to assist in the protection of a community drinking water supply.
Who Can Participate
NH municipalities and non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations having water supply as a principal mission are eligible to apply. The land has to be within the Source Water Protection Area (SWPA) for a proposed or existing water supply (contact DES for assistance with that determination or utilize GRANIT’s drinking water supply coverage layer) and it must be from a willing seller.
How it Works
The surest way to prevent contamination of drinking water is to control the land by acquisition or obtaining restrictive easements. Restrictive easements are agreements that prevent the landowner from developing or otherwise using the land in a way that might threaten groundwater. Since the 1800s, water suppliers in New Hampshire have purchased land to protect surface water supply reservoirs. The same strategy can work for groundwater. Unfortunately, cost is a major drawback. It is expensive to buy land and keep it undeveloped.
How to Get More Information
Contact Holly Green and Sarah Pillsbury
603-271-3114 and 603-271-1168