Water Consumption
Water Management Act Permit
The Town draws its water from four well fields, all of which are on the east and southeast side of town. There are seven gravel packed wells and two bedrock wells. The Town is permitted under the Water Management Act to withdraw 1.39 million gallons per day (MGD) on an annual average basis. Largely due to over watering of lawns in the summer months, the Town has been chronically above its water management act permit. Through water restrictions, water rates that are designed to encourage conservation, and aggressive leak detection, the Town has been able to reduce its water demand over the past few years. The table below summarizes the water consumption history since 2005.
| Year | Raw Gallons | Raw MGD | Days over Permit | Finish Gallons | Finish MGD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 536,643,299 | 1.470 | 166 | 513,658,308 | 1.407 |
| 2006 | 530,286,076 | 1.453 | 182 | 508,354,937 | 1.393 |
| 2007 | 592,786,851 | 1.624 | 226 | 533,341,923 | 1.461 |
| 2008 | 528,221,239 | 1.443 | 165 | 506,030,176 | 1.383 |
| 2009 | 521,346,348 | 1.428 | 171 | 487,991,841 | 1.337 |
| 2010 | 547,381,745 | 1.500 | 179 | 511,293,038 | 1.401 |
| 2011 | 539,404,053 | 1.478 | 175 | 487,186,544 | 1.335 |
| 2012 | 505,626,134 | 1.381 | 136 | 473,045,659 | 1.292 |
| 2013 | 583,676,410 | 1.599 | 213 | 509,878,132 | 1.397 |
| 2014 | 637,960,117 | 1.748 | 302 | 519,889,313 | 1.424 |
| 2015 | 618,168,559 | 1.694 | 334 | 554,947,730 | 1.520 |
| 2016 | 567,644,662 | 1.551 | 276 | 522,947,000 | 1.429 |
| 2017 | 537,645,236 | 1.473 | 180 | 498,829,326 | 1.367 |
| 2018 | 530,622,976 | 1.454 | 202 | 497,969,139 | 1.364 |
| 2019 | 454,210,675 | 1.244 | 99 | 430,893,298 | 1.181 |
| 2020 | 471,023,927 | 1.287 | 120 | 412,656,889 | 1.127 |
| 2021 | 465,157,178 | 1.274 | 104 | 449,746,578 | 1.232 |
| 2022 | 464,249,456 | 1.271 | 126 | 446,371,126 | 1.222 |
| 2023 |
Raw water is the volume of water pumped out of the ground. This water is high in iron, manganese, sediments, and in some sources organic color. These constituents must be removed through chemical processes and mechanical filtration, leaving behind the finished water. The finished water is pumped into the water distribution system which delivers the water to homes and businesses. A small percentage of finished water leaks out of the water mains. The difference between the raw and finished water is the water that is lost through the treatment processes. This water is returned to the ground and recycled.
Reduced commercial usage due to COVID 19 as well as reduced usage from the Hanover Mall which is currently being redeveloped have helped reduce the Town's overall demand. In addition, in recent years the water division has developed an aggressive leak detection program, surveying the Town several times per year. When leaks are detected they are promptly fixed. Resources, while currently adequate, are certainly strained in the summer months. We urge residents and businesses to follow the state required water restrictions.
The chart above shows the raw water pumped in million gallons per day. The red line represents the Town's Water Management Act permit ceiling.