General FAQ's

Why is my sewer rate so much higher than my water rate?

The wastewater collection and treatment process is MUCH more expensive and complicated than the water treatment and distribution process. For starters, the value of our wastewater infrastructure (treatment plant, collection system, etc.) is approximately three times that of our water infrastructure (wells, pump houses, pipes, storage tanks). The treatment process is also much more complex than the minimal required treatment for drinking water. 

For drinking water, we simply pump it out of the ground and adjust the pH (acidity) of the water while it’s on its way to the storage tanks – gravity then delivers it to your property for us. In order for us to treat the wastewater, in many cases it must be pumped up to 5 times before finally leaving the WWTF due to the many hills/valleys within the Precinct. Treatment itself takes approximately two days at the WWTF. 

All of the “stuff” we take out of the wastewater also needs to be collected, de-watered, and then disposed of. Most of the processes at the WWTF are energy-intensive, and despite our impressive solar array we still use almost 1,000,000 kWh of electricity each year. Take our virtual WWTF tour here, or give us a call and set up an in-person tour to get to see first hand just how incredibly complex our treatment processes really are.

Does the wastewater from North Conway dump into the Saco River?

No! Treated wastewater is pumped from our clarifiers into Rapid Infiltration Basins (RIBs) – essentially large sand pits, where the water percolates into and is filtered by the sand. This water continues to move through and be filtered by the naturally occurring sands before returning to the Saco River aquifer.