Crawford takes over as head of city Water Department

LACONIA — The city constructed its $3 million water treatment facility in 1989, the same year Ben Crawford was born. Now, 30 years later, Crawford has the job of running the city’s Water Department.

Crawford was appointed earlier this month to the post of Laconia's Water Department superintendent, succeeding Seth Nuttelman, who retired after serving 12 years in the post.

Crawford, who majored in environmental biology at Plymouth State University, joined the Water Department in 2017 as a project manager, a job that involved reviewing plans for infrastructure projects. Last year he was promoted to department coordinator.

Although others who applied for the position were older and had more on-the-job experience, Crawford “had much more expertise that was specific to our town and our water quality issues,” explained Dennis Bothamley, chairman of the Board of Water Commissioners. “He impressed everyone” on the six-member panel who interviewed the finalists after a regional search.

When Crawford joined the department his responsibilities included reviewing how street repaving and reconstruction plans would affect water mains and connections in a given area. He was also responsible for the department’s inventory piping, fittings, and other consumable supplies.

He said he was drawn to the project manager position 2½ years ago because, at his previous job at a firm that sold fire alarms and security systems, he enjoyed seeing projects through from the planning stage to completion.

Crawford said the Laconia Water Department holds a particular fascination for him because the city has been able to rely on Paugus Bay as its sole water source since the department’s predecessor, the Laconia Water Co., built a pumping station in 1885 on Union Avenue which is still operating, albeit with newer equipment, 135 years later.

“It’s amazing how steady things can be and still maintain quality,” Crawford said.

The Water Department tends to about 100 miles of piping and serves about 6,500 customers, most in Laconia. The department also serves sections of Gilford and Belmont close to the city line.

The pumping station is capable of drawing 3,000 gallons of water per minute out of Paugus Bay and sending it to the water treatment plant off Stark Street, which can treat 6 million gallons of water a day.

The pumps on Union Avenue operate between six and eight hours a day during the winter, and 10 to 12 hours a day during the summer, Crawford explained to a visitor. The department’s customers use about 1.2 million gallons a day during the winter. The usage increases 75 percent during the summer, to about 2.1 million gallons a day, Crawford said.

The department consists of 17 employees. Six maintain the distribution system, four work at the treatment plant, and the remaining positions are filled by office workers and supervisory personnel.

Crawford grew up in Fitzwilliam, near Keene. “I came to this part of the state to go to college and never left,” he said with a chuckle.

Asked what prompted him to apply for the superintendent position, Crawford said, “I like my job. I enjoy coming to work and I like the atmosphere here.”

“His potential for growth is great,” Bothamley said.

In his spare time, Crawford likes to fish and hike. But he acknowledged that the free time he and his wife have these days is limited, since they have two boys, ages 1 and 3.