PWD eyes options to fix water supply problems

The Passamaquoddy Water District (PWD) is moving ahead with plans to resolve problems with its water supply so that another boil order will not occur in the future. The boil order that was issued on August 31 was lifted by the Maine Safe Drinking Water Program, an office of the Department of Health and Human Services, at 10 a.m. on Friday, September 9. It had been issued by the water district because of high turbidity in the water caused by run-off from a bog area.
PWD Superintendent Nancy Seeley says she has spoken with the district's board of trustees and contacted the Perry selectmen to meet and discuss how to resolve the issue of the bog area, from which water can run into the stream that leads between Boyden's Lake and the PWD impoundment at the Perry treatment plant. The PWD's engineering firm of A.E. Hodsdon of Waterville is working on the problem, and she says a plan should be in place before next summer, when heavy rains and high turbidity levels could cause a similar situation again. The PWD wants to involve officials from Perry, the Passamaquoddy tribal government and Eastport in the discussions.
Another option that is being pursued is using a new source of water instead of Boyden's Lake. The Passamaquoddy Tribe has been having Wright-Pierce Engineers drill test wells to tap into groundwater on tribal fee land between the South Meadow Road and the Golding Road, behind the former Humphries farm. Seeley says a meeting will be held during the first week of October with representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the tribe, the PWD and tribal Perry and Eastport officials to discuss the possibility of using the groundwater source.
According to Seeley, more testing still needs to be done to see if the wells would provide a sufficient amount of water. "The study's not yet completed. They're not sure of the yield, but the quality looks good." Several days of continuous pumping will need to be done to see if the required number of gallons per minute can be sustained.
"The PWD would entertain discussions" about using the water from the wells, says Seeley, adding that she cannot speak for the PWD board or the City of Eastport. Questions still need to be answered concerning how the wells would benefit both Eastport and Pleasant Point "financially and health-wise." More will be known after the meeting in October, and information will be provided to PWD customers about the wells, if plans continue with that option. "The bottom line is it shouldn't affect anyone adversely, if it goes in that direction."
Concerning efforts to keep the public informed and any outreach efforts by the water district, Seeley notes that the PWD now has a Facebook page to keep customers updated. With the boil order, PWD staff went door to door for some customers, such as the nursing home and restaurants, to let them know about it. A website may be a possibility in the future. Although customers can purchase water filters, she doesn't see the PWD acting as a bulk buyer of filters to pass on to customers the savings that would be obtained through purchasing at wholesale costs.
"We have room for improvement," says Seeley, about public outreach. "Any suggestions are welcome."