Poland board supports extended water service

POLAND — Plans to extend water service along Route 26 and to seek funding through the Maine Community Development Block Grant program received solid support at Monday night's public hearing.

John Cleveland, Poland economic development consultant, ticked off a range of problems that people, living just miles from some of the world's best drinking water, experience. 

Recent tests of the Poland Community School's well water show levels of uranium at twice the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's acceptable limit. Ditto for a nearby day care that draws water from a well drilled into uranium-bearing granite.

Other wells yield water high in iron that quickly blackens toilet bowls, several homes cannot drink tap water because of contamination, some have low water pressure, some lack volume, and others share wells.

Shifting the Poland Community School's system to the well serving municipal buildings — from the Town Office to the new Regional School Unit 16 offices — strains the town well's capacity.

"If everyone turned on water at the same time, there wouldn't be enough," Cleveland said.

He said a survey, which had a 90 percent return of the target area of Route 26 from the high school to Aggregate Road, shows that half of the residences there today would tie into a new water main.

"I have good water and plenty of it, but I'd like to hook onto the line," Reginald "Bud" Jordan said.

Jordan explained that he would be happy not to have to worry about the 1,000-foot line that serves his house and his daughter's house.

Cleveland said that in addition to addressing existing needs, the project offers long-term economic benefits and ties in with town plans to create a downtown village area, one feature of which would be small commercial development.

"You need large lots if you have both a well and a septic system, but we want small lots," he said.

Survey results, he said, show that more than 75 percent of respondents believe the extension of public water would spur economic development. Also, fewer than 20 percent had plans to develop their property, but that number jumps to 67 percent if public water becomes available. 

Maine Department of Transportation's reconstruction of Route 26, now just south of the target village area, next summer is scheduled to continue north to Brown Road which, Cleveland said, "Creates real urgency."

"Once reconstructed, you can't touch it for five years," he said.

The Community Development Block Grant timetable requires submitting a letter to the state by Dec. 4, with the full application by Jan. 22, 2010. The state announces grant awards in March. If the state awards a grant to Poland, voters will be asked at the April town meeting to accept it.

The projected cost is $850,000 to run a 12-inch water main and for certain other improvements. The maximum block grant is $500,000. The town would seek the remaining $350,000 from other sources.

Selectman Joe Cimino said the project has his support if it doesn't require town money.

"But what do we do if the grant doesn't go through?" Cimino said. "The water quality and quantity problems don't just go away. I hope you are working on a backup."

Board of Selectmen Chairwoman Wendy Sanborn urged support of the project.

"This is a great thing," she said. "I am keeping my fingers crossed."