NHDES is Encouraging Residential Well Users to Conserve
New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services • June 18, 2020
Amidst Abnormally Dry Conditions, NHDES is Encouraging Residential Well Users to Conserve and the Public to follow Water Use Restrictions
Concord, NH – According to the weekly U.S. Drought Monitor released today, the entire state of New Hampshire has been categorized as abnormally dry. Over the last 60 days, the state has received significantly less than normal precipitation. The majority of the northern half of the state including Belknap, Grafton, Carrol, and Coos counties have received 25 to 50% less precipitation than normal. To the south, the majority of Sullivan, Merrimack, Strafford, Rockingham, Hillsborough, and Cheshire counties have received 50 to 75% less precipitation than normal. The U.S. Monthly Drought Outlook for June indicates drought development is likely in these southern counties, as well as in southern Belknap County.
Director of the NHDES Water Division, Thomas O’Donovan notes that “New Hampshire is approaching a stage of drought because rainfall over the last two months is about 60% of normal, and New Hampshire had a significantly less-than-average snowpack this past winter. Consequently, stream flows throughout the state are very low and if these weather trends continue, groundwater levels and water supply wells throughout the state will soon begin to be adversely impacted. Two rivers, the Lamprey and Souhegan have had to implement low water actions from their watershed management plans, and other rivers may be impacted soon. Additionally, the NHDES Dam Bureau is closely monitoring and managing reservoirs across the State, as the weather is forecast to remain dry.”
NHDES encourages those relying on private residential wells to begin conserving now. Due to COVID-19, people are at home more often, which means a higher than usual demand on residential well supplies. To protect your well supply, it is recommended that outdoor water use be limited and water use be staggered, allowing the well time to recharge between demands. As drought conditions develop, more municipalities and water utilities will impose outdoor water use restrictions. NHDES urges the public to be conservation-minded and abide by restrictions. Also, finances for well improvements or to drill a new well may be very limited; therefore, during a drought, it is important to curb water use early.
To view the latest drought conditions and to find information related to saving water and managing residential wells during drought, go to www.des.nh.gov
and use the "A-Z list" and scroll down to Drought Management.
For more information, contact Jim Martin, NHDES Public Information Officer, at james.martin@des.nh.gov or (603) 569-9777.
The Hampstead Area Water Company, Inc. (HAWC) will continue Routine Fall System Flushing on Tuesday, September 29th, 2026, with flushing scheduled at various HAWC water systems through Thursday, October 1st, 2026. This essential maintenance helps ensure continued water quality and reliability by removing naturally occurring minerals and sediment, improving system performance, and extending the life of the water distribution system. Customers in the affected areas will also receive an automated call at the phone number on file prior to their scheduled flushing date. The schedule below reflects the systems scheduled for flushing from Tuesday, September 29th through Thursday, October 1st, 2026.
The Hampstead Area Water Company, Inc. (HAWC) will continue Routine Fall System Flushing on Monday, September 21st, 2026. Routine flushing will continue at various HAWC water systems throughout the month of September. This essential maintenance helps ensure continued water quality and reliability by removing naturally occurring minerals and sediment, improving system performance, and extending the life of the water distribution system. Customers in the affected areas will also receive an automated call at the phone number on file prior to their scheduled flushing date. The schedule below reflects the systems scheduled for flushing from Monday, September 21st through Thursday, September 24th, 2026.
The Hampstead Area Water Company, Inc. (HAWC) will begin Routine Fall System Flushing on Monday, September 14th, 2026. Routine flushing will continue at various HAWC water systems throughout the month of September. This essential maintenance helps ensure continued water quality and reliability by removing naturally occurring minerals and sediment, improving system performance, and extending the life of the water distribution system. Customers in the affected areas will also receive an automated call at the phone number on file prior to their scheduled flushing date. The schedule below reflects the systems scheduled for flushing from Monday, September 14th through Thursday, September 17th, 2026.
The Hampstead Area Water Company (HAWC) will begin its annual Fall Water System Flushing in September 2026. This essential maintenance helps ensure continued water quality and reliability by removing naturally occurring minerals and sediment, improving system performance, and extending the life of the system.
To view the full order, click to download: NH PUC ORDER no. 28,235 - 06-25-2026.pdf
The Hampstead Area Water Company, Inc (HAWC) is aware of a current issue affecting some T-Mobile users when calling our office phone line. Customers may receive a message indicating that the call is “likely to be a scam.” Please be assured that this warning is incorrect, and we are actively working with providers to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. In the meantime, if you would like to report the issue directly to T-Mobile, please use the following link: https://callreporting.t-mobile.com/ If you are experiencing an emergency and are unable to reach our office using a T-Mobile device, please contact us using a different carrier or a landline phone. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us: 📞 Phone: 603-362-4299 📧 Email: customerservice@hampsteadwater.com We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience and understanding while this issue is being addressed. — HAWC Customer Service
Water Service Interruption on Wednesday, May 6th, 2026 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Water Service Interruption on Thursday, May 7th, 2026 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
