| District Digs into new Facility
Kennbunk Post news article published March 17, 2006.
By Molly Lovell
Staff Writer
Drivers traveling down Rte. one through Kennebunk just before the Wells town line may notice a new construction project at the Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Wells Water Treatment Plant. At the end of February, the plant began construction of a new $1.1 million pumping, treatment and recycling facility. The facility is designed to increase water capacity to better handle seasonal peak demand, provide a means to recycle filter backwash and lower operating costs. "The district is challenged with an influx of tourists during the summer time and the water usage goes way up," said Scott Minor, the water district's assistant superintendent. Daytime demand during the summer months often exceeds six million gallons per day, which is more than double the average demand. In the past, the district has had to buy water from the Biddeford/Saco and York water districts to supplement its production capability. This new facility will allow an additional three million gallons per day to be pumped into the system for customer demand, cutting the need to buy water from outside districts. In addition to treating and pumping groundwater from recently developed wells, the facility will allow the plant to recycle the water used as backwash in a way that will be in compliance with Maine Department of Environmental Protection orders. The basement of the building will hold up to 40,000 gallons of recycled backwash water. Last year the plant was under scrutiny when it was discovered that one percent of their discharge was being pumped into the neighboring Branch Brook, the district's main water source. The plant has been 100 percent discharge free since October 2005 said Minor. "This facility is unique to other plants in the state and even the country because of the combination of things we're doing in one building," Minor said. "Other plants may have two or three separate facilities to achieve what we're doing here," he said.
The district hired a sub-contractor to build the structure of the facility at a bid price of $133,000. They also hired a firm to conduct soil analysis before construction of the facility began at a cost of $5,000. Money for this project came from the water district's general fund. Minor said consumers will see neither a decrease in rates nor an increase, but he did say the construction of this new facility will prolong the need for a rate increase to consumers. The facility was designed in-house by their team of engineers including Superintendent Norm Labbe, Minor, Technical Services Director Don Gobeil and Facilities Manager Rob Weymouth. Minor said the in-house team possesses a diverse range of technical expertise which eliminated the need for full consulting services and dramatically reduced project cost. They will also be doing all the construction and installation on the inside of the building once the structure is complete. Superintendent Norm Labbe said the district will save close to $1 million by performing these tasks in-house. He said the facility will be operational by May 1.
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