MVD participates in the NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) Drinking Water Source Protection Program to ensure the water sources remain safe. Each of the wells has an established “Sanitary Protective Radius” (SPR), a radius around the well that is required by law to be controlled by MVD through ownership or easements. In addition to the SPR, MVD’s wells also have an established “Wellhead Protection Area” (WHPA) as delineated by the NHDES. Having the SPR and WHPA allows MVD to monitor, regulate, and prevent any activities that could potentially be harmful to wells and the water they produce. 

Check out the information below and visit the US EPA’s “Preventing Contamination of Drinking Water Resources” and the NHDES Drinking Water Source Protection Program webpages.

• Wintertime Snow & Ice Management
• Sodium & Chloride in Drinking Water
• Easy steps to help protect drinking water: 
  • Reduce the amount of trash you create by taking advantage of recycling programs
  • Recycle used antifreeze & motor oil
  • Don’t dump anything into storm drains
  • Do not overuse household chemicals
  • Check frequently for leaks in any underground fuel storage tanks
  • Inspect your septic system for issues yearly
  • Properly seal abandoned wells​
  • Limit the use of lawn fertilizers; be sure to use only phosphorus-free lawn fertilizers and reduce or eliminate pesticide applications
  • Keep pollutants away from boat marinas and waterways
  • Report any spills or illegal dumping, especially in designated Drinking Water Protection Areas

Hazardous Household Waste

The following information is from the NHDES website regarding Household Hazardous Waste.

Click HERE to view the NHDES Fact Sheet Regarding Household Hazardous Waste. 

Household hazardous waste (HHW) is produced when hazardous materials in residents’ homes are no longer wanted or needed. In order to make informed decisions when buying and using products with hazardous properties, identify which products in the home are harmful to you and the environment.

What are household hazardous materials? People regularly use hazardous products in their homes. These products become a hazard when improper use or disposal can cause a threat to human health or the environment. Common household products, such as paints, solvents, drain openers, oven cleaners, polishes, waxes, pesticides, cleaning agents, and spent automotive products, have hazardous properties. Properties making these products hazardous are:

• Ignitibility. Easily set on fire or ignited.
• Corrosivity/Caustic. Burns and destroys living tissue on contact.
• Toxicity/Poison. Capable of causing injury or death through ingestion, inhalation, or absorption through the skin. 
• Reactivity. Becomes toxic, flammable, or corrosive by exposure to heat, sudden shock, or when mixed with another product

How to identify which household products are hazardous. To help identify which household products are hazardous, federal law requires proper labeling with warnings and information about use, storage, and disposal. These labels include signal words and key phrases to help quickly identify products that are hazardous. The words and phrases “Danger” and “Keep out of reach of children” (most dangerous), “Warning” and “Caution” (less dangerous) are used to help identify the various degrees of toxicity. These signal words, along with the properties that make the product hazardous, are listed to help with safe use. These requirements do not apply to most hobby products, which typically do not inform of long-term health hazards. However, when present, these labels supply valuable information so informed decisions about which products to buy and how to dispose of them properly can be made.

Why should you be concerned? The average household throws approximately 16 pounds of hazardous materials into the trash each year. Household hazardous materials are disposed of in other ways, too. Certain products, such as used oil, are frequently poured down storm drains, and many products end up going down the sink drain into septic systems or sewers. Flammable or reactive household products can release toxic fumes or even explode if they are mixed together in the trash, causing house fires or injuring sanitation workers. Dumping solvents into septic systems or landfills may contaminate groundwater and surface water, ruining drinking water and killing fish and wildlife. Pesticides can damage sewage treatment plants, and oil poured into storm drains can flow directly into rivers and lakes. There are also certain health threats associated with some of these products. Products like oven cleaner can burn skin, eyes, or respiratory passages. Exposure to some pesticides, paints, and solvents can cause confusion, dizziness, and convulsions. Other repeated chemical exposures may cause cancer or birth defects. Children are very vulnerable to these products, and accidental poisonings can occur if these products are not properly stored. According to the National Poison Statistics Database, the leading cause of poisoning in children is personal care products. The leading cause of poisoning in adults is household cleaning products. These substances should be stored safely and, if not used, disposed of properly.

What you should do: To protect your family and the environment, follow these three steps:

1. Buy products wisely:
   • Read the label and buy non-toxic alternatives or less toxic products (refer to list below).
   • Buy only what you need for the job to avoid storing leftover product.
2. When you do buy hazardous products, store them safely:
   • Close lids tightly so products will not dry out, evaporate, or leak.
   • Store products in a cool, dry area away from sources of heat, spark, or flame.
   • Store products in the original container with label intact.
   • Separate flammables, corrosives, and poisons; store them on separate shelves.
   • If a container is deteriorating, place the entire container in a sealable glass or plastic container surrounded with non-flammable absorbent, such as cat litter or vermiculite, and bring it to your local HHW collection event.
3. Use products safely:
   • Read the label carefully before use and always follow directions.
   • Use only the recommended amount
   • Never mix products.
   • Use products in well-ventilated rooms and avoid breathing fumes.

What about waste? Every effort should be made to minimize the waste. If you cannot use the product up, so there's no disposal, you might share what you cannot use with a friend or take it to a swap center if available. You may also be able to recycle the waste; most towns now accept used oil for recycling. Usable items, such as paint, may be donated to local service organizations or schools. If you still can’t get rid of your wastes, don’t burn, bury, pour on the ground, pour down the drain, flush, or discard them in the trash. Some of these activities may even violate federal, state, or local regulations. You should store these wastes safely and bring them to a local HHW collection.

Household Hazardous Waste Collections
o prevent potential problems, HHW collection programs are available in most New Hampshire communities. Collection programs are typically offered once or twice a year to residents of participating towns. By safely storing your hazardous wastes and bringing them to your local collection site, you are making sure your wastes are transported and disposed of by licensed facilities in a manner that prevents environmental pollution and human exposure. For information on your town’s next HHW collection day, call your town offices or call (603) 271-2047 for more information. Proper management of household hazardous products during use, storage, and disposal should be everyone's concern. Your actions to reduce the use of these products wherever possible, to reduce the amount of waste generated, and to properly dispose of all HHW will help protect your family's health and the environment.

Additional Information
For more information regarding HHW, please contact the HHW Program by phone at (603) 271-2047 or by email at hhw@des.nh.gov.

Non-Toxic Alternatives: The following ideas are non-toxic alternatives for chemical products that can help protect yourself, your family, and the environment.