WEST PARIS —  West Paris residents have been following a boil water order that began April 18.

As of April 29, there was no clear answer to test results allegedly performed on Wednesday, April 24. A West Paris Maine Rural Water District employee was referring customers to the Maine Drinking Water Program. An employee there referred customers to West Paris Water Technician Wayne Kennedy, who said he was not authorized to comment. He said to call the trustees at the West Paris Maine Rural Water District.

Just a week earlier on April 11, former West Paris Water District Trustee Bill Grover said, “the yearly confidence report came back looking great. Testing is done monthly on the water and it goes out to a public lab for testing.”

At that same meeting, Grover listed a few issues facing the quasi-municipal water district. He said water meters and the floating cover on the reservoir need to be replaced. He talked about the costliness of a water main break on Greenwood Road. Water District Technician Wayne Kennedy, was having some trouble installing the reservoir cover and would need a professional to help, said Grover. He said the soda ash that the pump adds helps with impurities in the water.

At an emergency selectboard meeting held April 18, Christine Hebert of Maine Rural Water District said they would be adding chlorine to the water because of impurities. But that has not happened yet, confirmed Town Manager Joy Downing on April 26. The town’s water comes from a reservoir at the top of High Street.

The money for the repairs and the chemicals will come from an outside emergency fund and testing will be more frequent said Kennedy.

Water District Trustee Brandon Ballweber said with the resignation of Grover as a trustee, he is the last remaining water district trustee. Because the district needs a quorum of two the board temporarily could not conduct business.  The select board unanimously voted in Sonya Tardif as the second trustee.

Grover suggested at the April 18 meeting that the town, “surrender the district to someone more qualified to run it.” He said many nearby towns are run by Maine Rural Water. Selectboard Chair, Eli White said voters would have to make that decision at Town Meeting. West Paris Town Meeting is typically held in March.

Downing said the town and water district’s auditor recommended against the town taking over the water district because of the debt it would incur. Currently the Town pays $41, 726 for hydrants per year and an additional $3,895 for municipal buildings.

There are two open water district related positions open. One is for a a full-time water operator. The other is an $18 dollar-per-hour position for a part-time field technician who would maintain hydrants and the pump house. They would also be responsible for mowing the lawn.

In addition, a third Water District trustee is needed.

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