An application for large-scale groundwater extraction in Rumford has been approved

RUMFORD. The Board of Selectmen voted 3-1 in favor of Rumford Water District’s (RWD) large-scale groundwater extraction application during a public hearing held Oct. 17. Frank DiConzo voted against and Teresa Sachs was absent.

At a preliminary meeting May 14, Eaton Peabody’s Andy Hamilton, senior counsel for the water district, said RWD is proposing to withdraw and sell up to 75 million gallons of spring water per year to Blue Triton Brands, Inc., dba Poland. Spring bottling company.

The RWD property sits at the bottom of the Ellis River watershed, which is 164.2 square miles in area. The entire watershed drains into the Ellis River, which flows through Andover.

Hamilton said the No. 4 well project is in addition to the existing project, which includes Wells 1 and 2, which have been operating since 2019. The initial agreement between Poland Spring and RWD has been in effect since PUC approval in June 2018.

Daniel Flagg, PE, an engineering consultant for Wright-Pierce, said, “The groundwater extraction permit currently in place in the Rumford Water District parallels the DEP permit.

The addition of the 75 million gallons per year well #4 to the existing well allowed 158 million gallons per year, the annual permitted volume, starting with current operation in 2017.

DEP has reviewed this data in detail and confirmed that adding 75 million gallons per year does not see any negative impact on it, provided the monitoring requirements that DEP requires for the permit are met.

Matt Reynolds, an environmental hydrogeologist with Portland-based Drumlin Environmental LLC, added that the total volume of all the extracted water is 5 percent of the aquifer’s daily river flow.

City Manager George O’Keefe said the RWD is proposing to change the capacity and amount of water Poland Spring can buy from them. “Poland Springs has no water rights. They have the opportunity to buy water.”

He added that the amount drawn will change from 158 million gallons to 233 million gallons, which is the maximum. O’Keefe said the estimated annual total withdrawn is less than allowed.

O’Keefe said the public needs to understand that the permit is being followed and there are no regulatory concerns or issues with the amount of water being taken.

Resident Bree Weisman of Rumford asked if Rumford is getting value for the price the water district charges for water.

O’Keefe replied, “I believe we are. Some people would say we should get more money and should try to get a stronger economic deal with the company, and that’s in the hands of the water district trustees, and I think they’re doing it in a very effective way.”

He noted that until Poland Spring entered into a purchase agreement with the Rumford Water District, “our water company was financially insolvent.”

Rear Wheel Drive Support On May 14, John Halasi stated that as of April 2019, the rent was $12,000 per month and the total amount they have received to date is $775,298. In addition, Poland Spring made a capital contribution of $160,000 to the booster station that RWD installed atop Falls Hill.

He said, “To date, all of these funds, including water purchases, have provided the District with more than $1.67 million to stabilize water rates for our customers and have provided significant cash flow improvements without the need for water rate increases. loans and interest payments”.

Galasi said the RWD has not raised water rates since 2010.

The district was able to invest in its system, including the necessary replacement of sections of water mains that have been in operation since the early 1900s.

Galassi added: “We were able to finance $1,282,532. USA for repairs — main line replacements, a new pump station, a new well in Scott — all of these jobs were funded out of pocket with that revenue…Otherwise we would have had to take out loans, pay interest and new rate hikes. None was needed.”

O’Keefe said: “Our water resources are ours through the Rumford Water District and will remain ours. I would never support any project that would take away our water resources in the sense of ownership.”

According to him, the regulatory and legal context of this specific type of economic activity is quite strong. “Actually, groundwater extraction in Maine, I think, is probably better protected here than anywhere else in the country. There are two reasons for this. First, the Maine DEP is actually a very robust environmental regulator. The second reason is local control. And that’s different from the fact that in some places groundwater extraction is on state, federal or tribal lands.”

O’Keefe said the relationship between Polish Spring and the county is in most cases controlled by the local council or local government. “It makes the relationship very different, and we can hold public hearings like this. Because this activity is so carefully regulated and protected, I believe it is in the public interest. I think you all should know that. My job is to protect public interests. It’s not my job to work for big corporations or for their economic benefit.”

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