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The City of Nashua understands that drinking water is of critical importance to the long-term sustainability of the City and the region. The availability and associated cost of plentiful, clean drinking water impacts the desirability of businesses and residents to locate here and grow here.
Most of Nashua’s drinking water is provided by Pennichuck Water Works, and has been since the company’s inception in 1852. Throughout the years, and still today, many of the people who operate Pennichuck and make decisions about the future of our drinking water are neighbors and friends. The citizens of Nashua think of Pennichuck as a local business.
Since the 1970s and the Clean Water Act, our nation has become increasingly aware of the fragility of drinking water, and how our actions influence its quality and quantity. In the early 1980s, Pennichuck reorganized, and with that reorganization came the approval by the Public Utilities Commission to dispose of approximately 1,100 acres of watershed land and build a water treatment plant. Since that time, a significant amount of the 1,100 acres has been developed.
In the 1990s the citizens and policy leaders of the City became more and more concerned with Pennichuck Corporation’s need to “balance between watershed protection and economic growth,” as expressed by then-CEO Maurice Arel. In response to those concerns, the City of Nashua passed the Water Supply Protection District ordinance to increase protection of the watershed. The City then purchased 250 acres plus 41 acres of conservation easement from Pennichuck Corporation to protect the land from being developed by Pennichuck Corporation.
In April 2002 Pennichuck Corporation announced its agreement to merge with Philadelphia Suburban, the second largest water company in our nation, located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. The City filed as interveners with the Public Utilities Commission, contracted consultants to provide information to ensure knowledgeable decision-making, and engaged in negotiations with other communities regarding the possibility of a regional water district. On January 14, 2003 the citizens of Nashua voted by 77 percent to support the City’s pursuit of public ownership of their drinking water system. Subsequent to that vote, Philadelphia Suburban withdrew its offer.
Per the directive of the citizens in January 2003, the City leaders continue to aggressively pursue public ownership of the water supply system through the legal mechanisms afforded by State law. The following pages provide access to as much information as possible regarding this arduous and painstaking, yet worthy endeavor – one that will change the future of Nashua forever.
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