COURTESY / MAINE WATER CO.
A new $50 million water treatment facility in Biddeford will replace one more than a century old.
Updated: August 4, 2020
USDA invests $4.8M to upgrade two rural Maine water systems
Courtesy / Town of Milo
The Milo Water District will receive $2.4 million in federal funds to upgrade its infrastructure.
By Staff
Bridgton Water District and Milo Water District will be part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's investment of $462 million to modernize critical drinking water and wastewater infrastructure in rural areas nationwide.
Public health and economic development are the top motivators for upgrading the infrastructure, to offer safe drinking water and modern wastewater management facilities.
Bridgton is in western Cumberland County and Milo is in Piscataquis County.
The two water systems will receive a total of $4.8 million from the agency’s rural development program.
• Bridgton Water District was selected to receive a water and waste direct loan of $1.8 million and a water and waste grant of $600,000, for a total of $2.4 million. The investment will be used to replace approximately 7,800 linear feet of existing water mains in the greater downtown area of Bridgton. The 80-year-old mains, which are comprised of unlined cast iron, contain excessive tuberculation and corrosion that is creating issues with both the quantity and quality of water delivered to the customers. The rehabilitation improvements address the aging infrastructure and capacity issues in the project area, as well as restore the design capacity of the system at a reasonable cost. The proposed upgrades, which are long overdue, will help the distribution system operate more effectively and efficiently.
• Milo Water District will receive a water and waste direct loan of $1.2 million and water and waste grant of $1.2 million for a total of $2.4 million. The investment will be used to upgrade the 2nd Street Pump Station, the Ida Moore Pump Station and infiltration and inflow reduction in the collection system. The project also includes some minor upgrades at the wastewater treatment facility. The primary purpose of the project is to address the applicable health or sanitary standard.
USDA is funding 161 projects in 44 states through the loan and grant programs. The investments will benefit 467,000 residents.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. The assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas.
In the past five years, USDA has spent nearly a quarter of a billion dollars to improve water systems across the state.
In related news last week, Maine Water Co. broke ground on the new $50 million Saco River Drinking Water Treatment Facility in Biddeford, to replace one that’s 136 years old.
Maine Water yesterday announced that Mark Vannoy was named vice president of the company. Vannoy has served as Maine Water’s director of administrative services since October 2019. Before joining Maine Water, he served on the Maine Public Utility Commission and was chairman for five years beginning in 2014.
The move will also allow Rick Knowlton, president of Maine Water, to devote more attention to construction of the new Saco River Drinking Water Treatment Facility. The facility, which will serve customers in Biddeford, Saco, Old Orchard Beach and a portion of Scarborough, is the largest infrastructure investment project ever undertaken by Maine Water.
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