FRYEBURG – While a municipal water organization wants to buy a private water company in town, it does not feel eminent domain is the way to go.

“It really does not make any sense to even think about going down this road,” said Dick Krasker, chairman of the Fryeburg Water District board of trustees at the district’s annual meeting Tuesday.

Krasker said the privately owned Fryeburg Water Company offered to sell its assets to the town about six years ago. After voters rejected the offer, the district was formed. Krasker said the company later told the district that the offer was “on hold” until further notice.

The district retains the right to use eminent domain to take over the company’s assets, but Krasker said that a takeover would be contentious and expensive. He argued that experienced personnel at the company might quit, legal costs could run over $100,000 over two years, and the courts would determine the final selling price. Krasker said the costs would result in an increase in rates for the company’s 900 customers.

“As many of our constituents are retired, on fixed income, or living from paycheck to paycheck, it makes no sense to take this path at this time,” he said.

Krasker also told residents that Nestle Waters North America, which owns Poland Spring, is not harming the environment through extraction activities. Nestle buys water from the Fryeburg Water Company through Pure Mountain Spring, which takes water from the Wards Brook aquifer.

“Our efforts are driven by facts, science, logic and reasoning,” Krasker said. “We cannot be influenced by rumor, emotion, subjective observations or misinformation.”

Ken Turley, a Fryeburg Water Company customer, argued that the sale of bulk water was affecting local rates.

“An immense amount of water is going out and being sold,” said Turley. “And we’re getting a letter saying our rates are going up 26 percent.”

Krasker said the state Public Utilities Commission would prevent a direct sale of the Fryeburg Water Company to Nestle.

Elizabeth Swain, a spokesperson for Nestle, said Thursday that Poland Spring will be filing with the PUC to purchase Pure Mountain Spring. Swain said Nestle will also give a Porter Road well to the Fryeburg Water Company for free.

Swain said the purchase will allow Nestle to deal with the Fryeburg Water Company directly rather than through an intermediary.

“It’s not going to result in any noticeable changes,” Swain said.

Fryeburg is involved in another controversial water issue with Nestle as the company seeks to put in a water trucking facility on Route 302. The initial application for the facility was rejected by the Board of Appeals in 2005, and after going through the courts, remanded to the Planning Board in 2007.

The Planning Board ruled that the facility does not constitute a low-impact business. Nestle has appealed the decision, and the Board of Appeals is expected to make a ruling Monday.

Selectman Cliff Hall was present at the meeting Tuesday, and suggested that more detailed information on the company’s rates be made available at the town office. He also said greater communication was needed with Nestle as to what benefits were available to the town.

“We are not anti-business,” Hall said. “We want to know what this town will get in return.”