AUBURN — Water district officials will take a $5.46 million borrowing plan before city councilors Monday and their own board Wednesday.

District Superintendent John Storer said the bonds would help pay for a water meter replacement program, storage and lab space at the Lake Auburn ultraviolet treatment facility and a chemical treatment facility near Central Maine Community College.

The borrowing plan also looks to refinance $2.16 million worth of current debt at a lower interest rate, saving the district $600,000 in interest payments.

The Auburn City Charter requires City Council approval of any district debt.

“But the city is not taking on any debt for us,” Storer said. “Their role is simply to oversee our decisions and make sure we are acting in a financially prudent manner.”

Councilors are scheduled to review the bond package at 7 p.m. Monday in Auburn Hall and vote on it for a first reading. A second reading is scheduled for Sept. 7.

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The water district’s board is scheduled to vote on it at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the district office, 268 Court St.

The district broke ground on the first phase of an ultraviolet treatment plant last year. The district hopes to build an office, lab and storage building nearby. The cost of the $3.5 million building would be split with the city of Lewiston. Auburn’s share, $1.75 million, would come from the bonding package.

Another $1.05 million would pay for a water meter replacement program that began this spring.

Storer said the district hopes to build a chemical chloramine facility between the ultraviolet treatment plant and the Central Maine Community College campus. The district plans to borrow $500,000 for that building. The Maine Municipal Bond Bank would rebate $125,000 of that, he said.

Storer said the bond package also needs to be approved by the Maine Public Utilities Commission.

staylor@sunjournal.com


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