NH'S INVISIBLE INFRASTRUCTURE DILEMMA

Last November, a 1923 cast iron water main broke in Manchester, opening a giant sinkhole on Goffe Street that forced evacuations, cost the city $50,000 and drained 650,000 gallons of water. Besides aging infrastructure and wear and tear, Seacoast communities face additional pressure due to mandates from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency aimed at reducing the flow of nitrogen and other nutrients into the Great Bay estuary. A myriad of factors - aging pipes, pumps and plants: new federal requirements; climate change and a lack of funds to help municipalities upgrade infrastructure - are putting NH's clean water at risk and reducing opportunities for economic development in the state. Some federal funding sources still exist, including rural development funds and a state revolving loan fund that draws from federal allocations.