KINGFIELD – Two trustees and a consultant from the water district ventured into snowy woods and fields off West Kingfield Road earlier this month to learn more about Poland Spring’s plans for water withdrawal there.
The company, owned by Nestle Waters North America, seeks to find an abundant aquifer with the right chemical makeup to sustain a bottling plant in town. The plant could bring up to 200 jobs to the region.
The company has drilled six test wells, about 3 inches in diameter, 50 to 70 feet deep.
According to Mark Dubois, hydrogeologist and natural resources manager for the company, initial water quality tests indicate the aquifer might be a good fit for the water bottler.
“We’ve always been optimistic,” he said Tuesday of the aquifer that provides 27 million gallons of unfiltered water annually to the town.
Bob Barnes, Joseph Ray and Jack McKee toured several sites with Dubois, who pointed out geologic and other indicators of the aquifer’s bounty and quality. Other than obvious springs, of which there were several, the presence of cedar trees and sphagnum moss indicate an abundance of groundwater, all present off West Kingfield Road, where Dubois believes there is an underground river. The springs, he said, could represent a net excess of water.
Looking down at a spring, consultant Jack McKee said its flow reminded him of Rapid Stream.
Although indications look good for the proposed plant, which the company hopes to locate south of town, recharge rates still need to be determined, said Dubois. The company monitors potential water sources for a year before making a determination of its productivity. He also said Poland Spring monitors its aquifers to a higher standard than the state requires.
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