RUMFORD — The Rumford Water District signed a 15-year agreement Tuesday with Poland Spring Water Co. to draw up to 150 million gallons of water per year from two district wells.

After telling 10 people at the signing ceremony why they support the agreement, the board of trustees voted unanimously to approve the deal.

Chairman Jim Thibodeau said studies have “clearly determined that there is an ever renewing abundance of water that can both support the Rumford Water District as owner and Poland Spring as a customer.”

He said earlier that renewal of the 15-year agreement is contingent upon getting a bottling plant.

Trustee Jolene Lovejoy said that through months of negotiations with Poland Spring in executive session, there have been “many twists and turns. Poland Spring has pushed us and we in turn have pushed back. We have nearly been willing to walk away from negotiations, but fortunately, working together, we were able to come to a good set of agreements. RWD has much to be proud of and much to be grateful for.”

Newly elected trustee Brad Adley said the agreement includes a pathway to a bottling plant “that would bring much-needed jobs and tax base to Rumford … Studies have shown that the Ellis River aquifer has an abundance of water. Why not sell it, as it will not interfere with supplying the district’s customers.”

District Superintendent Brian Gagnon said he was pleased the agreement will support investments in the district’s infrastructure and operations; provide a growing body of data of both the scope and nature of the Ellis River aquifer; and support a more stable rate structure for the district’s customers.

In a related matter, Thibodeau said the district was copied on an Aug. 8, 2017, letter addressed to Poland Spring Water Co. from the Andover Board of Selectmen. In that letter, Andover was seeking assurance that any agreement to purchase spring water from the Rumford Water District would have no impact on the Andover water supply, both for the town system and private wells.

In the water district’s response to Andover selectmen, written by Gagnon and dated Aug. 14, he stated that Ricky Pershken, certified geologist of A.E. Hodsdon Consulting Engineers, provided a letter on Sept. 1, 2016, shared with the Town of Andover, “assuring that any extraction of spring water in Rumford to sell to Poland Spring would have no impact on the groundwater resources in Andover.”

The letter stated that Pershken, since that time, has reviewed all data provided by Poland Spring to the Rumford Water District, and his conclusion, as of Aug. 11, 2017, remains the same – that the sale of spring water by the district to Poland Spring will have no impact on the groundwater resources of Andover.

bfarrin@sunmediagroup.net

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