EAGLE TIMES, Claremont, NH
Dec 30-2007: Eagle Times, Kyle Jarvis

Water Bottling Company Breaks Ground

Ice River Springs has been given its footing and foundation permit and after pay the $20,668 fee has started laying the foundation.

City Manager Guy Santagate couldn't be happier. Although they've yet to receive final approval for a site plan, he's confident everything will go as planned.  "It's important to get this project moving - we're trying to expedite it as much as possible so we can get jobs for some of these people ( 122) who were laid off by Customized Structures.

And although a small contingent of residents have questions whether or not the city is putting the municiple water supply in danger by allowing Ice River to use some of it for purification and reatail, Sandy Gott (Ice River) said its not the case. Sandy - "We wanted to make sure that the city not only has a strong supply, but a surplus."

Bruce Temple DPW Director has gone on record before the city council saying that the new storage tank puts the city in a great position to sell water and still have plenty in reserve. "I rely on Bruce" said Santagate. "He said we could safely use 4 million gallons a day. Even if Ice River uses 300,000 gallons a day we'd still only be producing to a third of our capacity"

Gott said the municipla water will make up just 25% of its product. "Probably about 75% will come from the spring in Vermont. There's a big market for spring water in the NE - we certainly won't be using city water daily".

Santagate said phase one of the facilty is estimated to hit the tax books with an approximate $4.5 million valuation" (note this is the same amount approved by NH Executive Council to Ice River Springs -JM). "That translates to about a $135,000 annual tax bill. (Note this facility is in the TIF district JM) 

On top of that, Santagate said the company also has to pay a "capital replacement fee" not for using the water but for usage of the system. We're not sure how much that fee will be - but it's a one time fee based on project usage."  Gott said they've been receiving resumes.