Maine Water plans to invest $8M in infrastructure upgrades
Photo / Maureen Milliken
A new dam is part of Maine Water Co.'s $1.5 million Kennebec River intake and pump station project in Skowhegan.
Maine Water Co. said it will invest $8 million in 14 water infrastructure projects around the state, upgrading systems that are as old as 134 years.
“Proactive investment in infrastructure across Maine Water’s service areas benefit customers and communities not only through improved reliability and resiliency, but through improved hydraulics for fire protection, and, in some cases, increased water availability for economic development,” said Mark Vannoy, vice president of Saco-based Maine Water.
In addition, the $53 million Saco River Drinking Water Treatment Facility, which is under construction in Biddeford, remains on schedule to begin serving customers next spring, MWC said in a news release. The water treatment plant will one that was built in 1884. The current plant is exposed to flooding from the Saco River and engineering studies confirmed that new construction, over the long term, is a lower-cost solution than renovating the aging plant.
Many of the projects throughout the state are funded through Maine Water’s Infrastructure Charge program, which allows water utilities like Maine Water to systematically plan and replace aging drinking water infrastructure, Vannoy said.
“Through WISC, we are able to make regular investments in the replacement of aging water mains, valves, hydrants, storage tanks, treatment equipment, control systems and other assets that are needed to provide dependable water service," he said. "These investments enhance system reliability, water quality, public fire protection, and efficiency and reduce the amount of water lost to leaks.”
The costs of completed WISC projects are recovered through a surcharge on customer bills as authorized by the Maine Public Utilities Commission.
Water mains and more
The ages of projects to be completed this year range from 46 years to 134. Project scopes range from replacing water mains, most at a cost of $175,000 to $400,000, to the $1.5 million Kennebec River Pump Station and Intake Project. The Skowhegan project involves installing a new 12-inch HDPE raw water intake in the river, a new duplex pump station, control building and raw water line to the treatment plant in Skowhegan.
In Old Orchard Beach, the company is collaborating with the town, which received a Community Development Block Grant to improve the Washington Avenue neighborhood. Part of that work is Maine Water's replacement of 3,600 feet of 134-year-old water main, which will aid fire protection by increasing the pipe size and adding two hydrants. The CDBG project also includes sewer and drainage projects, sidewalks and a new traffic plan.
This year's projects, aside from the Biddeford treatment plant, are:
- Bucksport, Franklin Street: Phase 2 of water main replacement;
- Camden, Free Street water main replacement;
- Freeport, Spring Street water main replacement;
- Greenville, North and South Wiggin Street water main replacement;
- Hartland, Mountain Road water main replacement;
- Millinocket, Elm Street water main replacement;
- Oakland, Libby Hill Road water main replacement;
- Oakland, Pleasant Street water main replacement;
- Old Orchard Beach, Washington Avenue Neighborhood water main replacement;
- Rockland, Talbot Avenue water main replacement;
- Rockport, U.S. Route 1 water main;
- Saco, U.S. Route 1 water main replacement,
- Skowhegan, Kennebec River pump station and intake project;
- Skowhegan, Hathaway Street and South Factory Street water main replacement.
Maine Water has 32,000 customers, representing more than 80,000 individuals, across the state, and maintains 11 water treatment plants, 12 public water systems and 544 miles of water mains.
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