Newton fights Water world, but Atkinson officals act like France?

Newton tightens up water regulations

By Jarret Bencks
jbencks@eagletribune.com


NEWTON — Any company or individual applying for a water franchise or personal well will now have to go through the town's Planning Board before submitting an application to the state.

Planners on Tuesday unanimously approved new rules aimed at giving the town more authority over its water supply and more notice upon submissions of water franchise requests.

The rules, submitted by board alternate and Rep. Mary Allen, restrict companies or individuals from trucking or piping water from Newton to be used elsewhere.

The new rules also require any organization seeking a water franchise in town to notify the Planning Board. If it does not approve the water franchise, the request could still go to the state, but the Planning Board would notify the Department of Environmental Services of its disapproval, Allen said.

This summer, Hampstead Area Water Co. submitted a request to the state for a 642-acre franchise in Newton to supply water to the Sargent Woods development and nearby homes.

The company reduced its proposal to just the 66 acres the development sits on after a public hearing in July, where many residents and officials voiced their objections. The scaled-back proposal for water withdrawal was approved by the Public Utilities Commission on Aug. 8.

Atkinson residents also have taken action in an attempt to protect the town's water supply. Voters overwhelmingly approved new ordinances that adopted the town's water withdrawal ordinance as a health ordinance, and put restrictions on water withdrawals in town during a Special Town Meeting earlier this month.

Selectmen and Planning Board members in Atkinson have objected to the new ordinances, asserting they are illegal and could bring the town into a long legal battle.

Newton Planning Board member Jim Doggett said he believes the rules in his town are within state regulations. "If you read our set of rules, they're very simple in language," Doggett said. "They are in our regulations and I think the Planning Board is willing to defend them."

Atkinson-Factor says,

Nice article about Newtons fight with the HAWC, and how about our town officals here in Atkinson? From what i have seen with Fred Childs actions and his public quotes on the matter, he has no intention of fighting any water withdrawal from the HAWC. His behavior reminds me of the country of France back in WW11. Even after public outcry at the last selectmans meeting from concerned residents about the lack of interest in the selectmans actions on the water issue, the selectman still havn't done anything at the state level to back up what the residents voted on in early sept.

Our Planning board is against this fight over our water also, so them sticking up for what we overwhelming voted for is slim.... Harold Morse sits on the planing board and also is part of the HWAC ( Now that is a conflict of interest isn't it? ). That reason alone tells me why the planing board is against the water fight.

Atkinson should be the leading town fighting this battle, but our officals are doing absolutly nothing. All they can say is, " We will take it under advisement".

Articles Pass!

Voters yesterday overwhelmingly voted in the warrant articles yesterday by a 70% margin. That is a landslide victory for Atkinson residents to defend our water from being pumped out of Atkinson for profits by the HAWC water world. Voter turnout was higher than exspected as well.

Attention to all Voters of Atkinson! No time to spare!

Attention to all voters of Atkinson! In case anyone forgot about the next voting for the very important water issues and State Rep elections, Tuesday the 9th of Sept is the day. Now how important is this vote? Very important! Water withdrawal issues to the town of Atkinson is important to anyone with wells in their backyards. If you do not want your well to run dry from massive water withdrawals, then please vote for the warrant articles on Tuesday. And please call one or two of your friends to remind them of Tuesday's vote. The average person probably has no idea of Tuesday's vote, so very important to call anyone you know to let them know.
Also, Jack Hayes is running for State Rep against two others that will be useless to Atkinson, so please vote for Jack Hayes. Spread the word, and please call anyone you know to help these two very important issues to Atkinson residents.