Four Maine municipalities will share $17.9 million in federal funding to upgrade public infrastructure with projects from remote monitoring to a library addition. Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development loan and grant programs.
The city of Gardiner will get a $3.2 million loan and grant to upgrade its wastewater treatment facility and Maine Avenue pumping station. The upgrades include a new supervisory control and data acquisition system, which uses computer systems and sensors to remotely monitor, control and automate processes.
Upgrades also include screw pump and flow control box water level monitoring, chemical storage tanks, feed pumps with piping, aeration blowers, HVAC improvements and a partial roof replacement.
The project is expected to improve efficiency, extend the life of many critical components and increase the level of safety for the system’s operators, while also helping to preserve the quality of the nearby Kennebec River.
The city of Bath will receive $7.6 million for upgrades to its water pollution control facility. The improvements will eliminate coliform/enterococci bacteria violations and alleviate health and sanitary concerns.
As a permitted combined sewer overflow system, storm runoff is processed through the city’s wastewater infrastructure. Timely completion of the project is considered essential to protect public health and sanitation.
In the town of Lincoln, the sanitary district is slated for $6.4 million to fund essential upgrades to the wastewater treatment facility and Creamery Court pump station, including replacement of aging equipment such as blowers, bucket elevators, classifiers, valves, variable frequency drive pumps, telemetry systems and various building components.
The improvements are critical to maintaining reliable service and protecting public health. By modernizing infrastructure while keeping user rates affordable, the project is expected to strengthen the district’s long-term sustainability.
The town of Poland is receiving a $750,000 grant to renovate and expand the Ricker Memorial Library. The investment will be used to build a 2,650-square-foot addition, improve accessibility with a new elevator and entry and modernize community spaces.
Poland will also revamp interior finishes, lighting, mechanical systems and structural components.
