BETHEL – Selectmen convened a special meeting Wednesday afternoon and unanimously issued a permit to the Bethel Water District for water main installation.

To regain self-sufficiency following a severe thunderstorm on July 11 and catastrophic flooding that destroyed Bethel’s public water system, the district is installing two miles of 12-inch ductile iron pipe along North Road from three new wells being drilled.

“Finally, after all that’s been involved, we’re on the roll,” district spokesman John Head of Bethel said Wednesday evening.

“Three truckloads of pipe arrived yesterday and are being stored at Angevine Park behind the fence. More loads will arrive every day for the rest of the week until we get the whole order in. This is going to solve some problems, I hope,” Head added.

The town has relied on trucked-in water, public water conservation, and assistance from other Maine water districts during the interim.

Both Head and Town Manager Scott Cole said Wednesday’s 10-minute meeting was a formality that cemented a deal worked out this week between the town and district regarding 22 culverts that need to be installed, along with 10,000 feet of water main.

“The town will furnish the culverts, and we will furnish the labor,” Head said.

District work is being funded by an estimated $1.37 million in federal assistance approved by President Bush according to a disaster-funding ratio of 75 percent federal, 15 percent state and 10 percent town. The total cost is estimated at $2.2 million.

Cole said that because the town controls the right of way and there was money involved for the culverts, he was tasked with issuing the permit via approval by selectmen.

Five culverts will be installed 6 or more feet underground, while the other 17 will have shallow berths.

Work began Wednesday morning on the culverts by Jack Cross Excavation and on drilling the three wells by a Massachusetts company.