The City of Dover today released an important Health related notice for residence and visitors that use Willand Pond. On Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009, the City experienced a break in a sewer force main line located on New Rochester Road in the vicinity of Willand Pond. According to Doug Steele, Community Services Director, the break in the line resulted in an estimated 1000 gallons of wastewater flowing into a nearby catch basin. This catch basin is part of a closed stormwater system that outlflows into Willand Pond. Prior to the outflow there is a 3000 gallon water quality tank, which was installed as part of the recently completed sidewalk project along New Rochester Road.

This water quality tank is designed to collect stormwater prior to the outflow so that solids can settle out and not enter the Pond. In this case the tank was large enough to capture most of the wastewater. Community Services staff acted to pump the three catch basins and water quality unit to empty the system. Additionally, staff utilized a disinfectant to sanitize the system. Due to the existence of the water quality tank, staff believes that a low amount of wastewater entered the Pond.

Dover staff has notified Environmental Protection Agency staff and New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES) staff, and all agencies are working cooperatively on the situation. The State of NH DES staff tested the water for contaminants at the outflow and anticipates higher levels of e coli bacteria than acceptable under recreation standards. The Class B standard is 406 counts of e coli per 100ml of sampled water. “While a count total has not been returned evidence indicated the standard will be exceeded,” according to Christopher Parker, Director of Planning and Community Development for the City and the lead staff member working on lowering the high water elevations on Willand Pond., As a precaution City and State staff are urging residents to avoid contact and ingestion of pond water at this time.

Parker stated that this is a precaution and unlike the closing of the Pond in 2007, this should be a relatively short timeframe for the closure. “In speaking with the State, we hope to retest the water on Monday, June 8th, and anticipate that the results will be much lower and within the normal accepted levels. We are hoping to reopen the pond for recreational use very soon, but we want to take caution and alert users to the wastewater presence.”

John Carlson, the City’s Health Officer, has posted the pond so that residents and visitors are aware of the situation. Carlson will be working with DES staff for the retest and hopes to be able to reopen the pond mid-week. As is normal practice, the City of Dover will continue to monitor the pond throughout the summer and fall.

For further information regarding the presence of e coli bacteria please contact John Carlson, the City of Dover Health Officer at (603) 516-6038.

For more information regarding Willand Pond please contact the City of Dover Planning Department at 516-6008.