MANCHESTER, N.H. – At the Dec. 3, 2025 Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen, a request from the Manchester Water Works (MWW) for a new Administration and Vehicle Storage building took a critical step toward approval.
The facility, located just north of the Manchester Water Works’ current headquarters on Lakeshore Drive, seeks to consolidate all operations of the organization into one campus. Currently, the administration, distribution engineering, construction and metering activities are housed within the Department of Public Works complex on Lincoln Street. The current Lincoln Street facilities were constructed in 1951.
During the Oct. 2025 MWW Board of Water Commissioners meeting, it was noted that the garage on Lincoln Street can no longer house the department’s service truck, backhoes and meter vehicles.
An access road along the eastern boundary of the new campus could be expanded to divert truck traffic from Lakeshore Drive and MWW has received approval from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services to redevelop limited wetlands areas.
Construction of the facility is expected to conclude in Fall of 2027 and will cost approximately $35 million in general obligation bonding in a mix of 10- and 30-year bonds. According to MWW Director Phil Croasdale, only $700,000 will be paid of the 30-year bond before the 2035 Fiscal Year as part of a plan to retain a steady debt service schedule.
Croasdale noted that rate hikes are expected in Fiscal Year 2027, 2029 and 2031. In those years, the average ratepayer would see bill increases of $4 in 2027, $4 in 2029 and $2 in 2031. He added that approximately $3 million in expected revenue would come from new homes in Londonderry, Manchester and Hooksett as well as a project in Salem. On top of the new revenue, approximately $9 million in allocated state grants for other projects are also expected to defer costs.
In response to concerned neighbors, Croasdale said the new traffic would be equivalent to approximately one crew’s worth of workers and that most operations would conclude for the day by 3:30 p.m. He also said that there would be a limited number of vehicles coming to the facility via Island Pond Road.
Croasdale felt that MWW has been a good neighbor in the area since it arrived over a century ago, citing driver safety practices and clearing of nearby tall trees that could cause damage to local properties during severe storm events.
“We tell our drivers to go the speed limit, minus five miles per hour,” said Croasdale. “We think we’re a very good neighbor there, we maintain Lakeshore Road.”
Ward 6 Alderman Crissy Kantor praised the neighborliness of MWW, but requested they seek an alternative route to the new campus to help reduce traffic on Lakeshore Road and Island Pond Road.
Alderman At-Large Dan O’Neil asked if it would be more appropriate to stage some equipment on the other side of town in addition to the new campus to help reduce response times during emergency requests. Croasdale said the location of the vehicles makes little difference in those situations, with the bulk of time prior to construction coming from administrative issues such as ensuring Digsafe regulations are followed.
The request for bonding, which had been recommended by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen’s Committee on Community Improvement in November, was taken off the consent agenda and then enrolled and given its initial approval in the Board of Mayor and Aldermen’s Committee on Finance. It passed on a non-unanimous voice vote.
Per Aldermanic rules for bond requests, the request will layover until the next meeting for a vote on final approval, expected later this month.
