MINOT – Meeting with representatives of the Taylor Pond Association, selectmen Monday night pledged to help efforts to develop and implement a long-term strategy for protecting water quality in the shallow Auburn lake.
Michael Dixon told the board his group has received a $12,000 federal grant to survey the Taylor Pond watershed for sources of erosion that may threaten the lake’s health and vitality.
Dixon pointed out that, following the 1991 survey of the watershed, additional grant funds were obtained to design and supplement some public works projects that corrected some of the more troublesome areas in both Auburn and Minot.
A substantial portion of Taylor Pond’s watershed lies in Minot. Lapham Brook, Taylor Pond’s main feeder stream, rises in Minot. Money from the additional grants helped to correct problems in Minot’s death valley area, including some major culvert work where Lapham Brook crosses Marston Hill Road.
“The idea is that good erosion control practices are cheaper in the long run because, while they cost more up front, they hold up longer. After this survey is complete, we would again hope to do follow-up work in Minot,” said Dixon.
Responding to Dixon’s immediate request for assistance with the survey, selectmen agreed to use office records to identify owners of properties within the Taylor Pond watershed so that the property owners could be made aware of what’s going on, to help solicit volunteers to participate in the survey, and to help find someone to represent the town on the survey steering committee.
Dixon noted that volunteers will attend a training session on May 21, with actual survey work beginning that day and continuing for about a month.
“Resource personnel from Androscoggin Valley Soil and Water Conservation District will be brought in for follow-up visits to provide treatment recommendations,” said Dixon. Interested individuals or groups are asked to call TPA president Dana Little at 784-1908 or secretary Susan Trask at 784-4606.
In other business, Selectman Steve French reported on efforts to determine whether using water from the well at the town garage to supply the Minot Consolidated School would be a more cost-effective alternative than using water from the school’s well. French said that using the town garage well, “was looking better and better all the time.”
Tests of water at the school well revealed unacceptable levels of radiation and arsenic. Cost estimates for treating the water indicate up-front costs of more than $50,000 for the treatment equipment and a building to house it, plus unidentified but probably hefty continuing maintenance expenses.
Tests on water from the town garage well showed that the water would not require treatment to reduce radiation levels, but may need treatment to remove arsenic. French noted that it is far easier and much less expensive to treat for arsenic – it is the radiation treatment equipment that bears the high cost.
“I think using the garage well is the right thing to do,” said French.
French said he has spoken with people at the Maine Municipal Bond Bank and the state Department of Education and learned they would have no objection. French added that he and Union 29 Operations Director Gordon Murray will present cost estimates to the school committee at its April 26 meeting.
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