Special Edition Newsletter - Drought Management Next Steps

Water Conservation Urged by State and the Town

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Please Review this Important Drought Management Communication from the Town of Stratham

The Town staff and Select Board have been monitoring the guidance from the NHDES Drought Management Program related to the current abnormally-dry and pre-drought conditions.  NHDES’s most recent update advises “conservation messaging be spread across your communities”.  To view the latest drought update from the State, click here.

Stratham Drought Management: Next Steps

  1. The Town of Stratham Select Board is urging residents to immediately begin water conservation measures on a voluntary basis in response to the current abnormally dry and projected drought conditions.  To learn more about best practices for your household or association when it comes to managing water use, please visit this state resource (https://www.des.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt341/files/documents/2020-01/d...).  More information here.
  2. The Town’s authority to implement water restrictions is only enabled during a state or federally-declared droughts.  At its meeting this week, the Select Board confirmed its intention to implement a Level 1 water restriction at the onset of a declaration of drought for our region by NH DES.  The Board intends to post the Level 1 restriction immediately following a declaration and it will become effective three days following posting. 

What does a Level 1 restriction look like?

i.    Lawn watering by odd numbered addresses is allowed on odd numbered days.
ii.   Lawn watering by even numbered addresses is allowed on even numbered days.
iii.  Lawn watering shall not occur between the hours of 8AM and 7PM.

For more information about the Town’s adopted drought regulation (for use during droughts), please see here.

The State DES is offering a program for income-eligible residents whose wells go dry due to drought conditions.  Emergency drought assistance is available to eligible households retroactive to costs incurred since June 23, 2020. More information can be found here.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation and efforts to voluntarily conserve water.