By DIANA GRAETTINGER
BAILEYVILLE, Me., Oct. 9, 2000 (Bangor Daily News)—The federal government may sink the city's plans to establish a water source at the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge.
But the Baileyville Utilities District, lifeline in hand, is standing ready to rescue the city. For a second time it has offered to sell water to Calais.
Calais obtains its drinking water from wells in St. Stephen, New Brunswick, and the water is pumped into Calais over the Ferry Point Bridge. A change in U.S. clean water standards several years ago forced Calais to look for an alternative water source because the St. Stephen water does not meet new U.S. standards.
Four years ago, Calais voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum question that authorized the city to spend up to $2 million to develop its own water system. The city reviewed several options, including buying water from Baileyville, taking water from a source developed on land near the industrial park, or developing a water source at the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge less than five miles north of the city.
The city negotiated with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the right to tap into an aquifer at Hanson Pit at the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge. The federal government gave the city a $2 million low-interest loan to complete the project.
Delays forced the city to go back to voters to ask for an additional $800,000 to complete the new system, and earlier this year voters approved the increase overwhelmingly.
At first, the federal government seemed ready to enter into a 50- year lease with the city for the Moosehorn water source at a cost of $1 per year. Later, federal officials said they wanted to swap land with the city, rather than enter into a lease. The city proposed trading the Hanson's Pit site for land it owns adjacent to the refuge.
But in order for the land swap to work, so construction of a new water source could begin this year, the matter had to be placed before the federal migratory waterfowl commission in August. August came and went and the matter was not on the agenda. City officials fear that if construction is delayed until next year, it could mean another increase in construction costs.
Gardy Rolfe of the Baileyville Utility District said his agency is ready to supply the water if Calais decides to enter into a purchase agreement.
At the City Council meeting last week, the mayor said she and interim City Manager Jim Porter met with the Baileyville utility to have a fallback position if the federal government plan collapsed.
During a tour of Baileyville's new well house near the Grand Falls Road earlier this week, it was learned that the utility owns 400 acres and is in the process of purchasing another 100 acres over its aquifer.
If the city decides to enter into an agreement, the utility district would have to drill another well. "We have another well site that could be developed and drilled. ...We'd be able to pump about 3,000 gallons a minute [with the new system]," he said. Rolfe said the city uses about 450,000 gallons of water a day.
Baileyville Town Manager Jack Clukey said if Calais decides to enter into an agreement with the Baileyville utility, it would be an advantage for everyone. "It comes down to dollars and sense for both communities," he said.
Rolfe explained how the agreement would work. "We would sell them [Calais] the water. ... We'd put a meter on the Baring-Calais line and they'd pay just like a customer," he said. The Public Utilities Commission would set the rate. "I believe we can sell them the water cheaper than they can manufacture it themselves," he said.
Friday, Porter said the city had not yet heard from the federal government and the issue remained on hold.
© 2000 Bangor Daily News Bangor, ME via Bell&Howell Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved.
