Progress in upgrading the aging South Berwick Sewer District plant, which has been awarded $3.57 million in federal grants for improvements, will be presented by Wright Pierce Engineering at the district’s annual meeting 7 p.m. Monday, March 10, at Town Hall.
Also at the meeting, residents of the Sewer District will elect two members to the district’s board of trustees.
The district recently received a $570,000 federal grant to be paid when additional upgrades are made to the plant, district director Tom Harmon said this week. In addition, it was selected by the state as one of three Maine sewer districts to be awarded a $3 million federal grant for plant improvements.
Harmon is unsure how recent actions by the current administration might impact payment of the grants, he said Monday.
Last year a proposed long-range $14 million plan to upgrade the plant was put on hold for further study when the state established more stringent licensing standards for nitrogen and phosphorus levels in waterways.
Excessive amounts of those elements accelerate algae growth in Great Bay and its tributaries, including the Salmon Falls River that flows alongside the South Berwick sewer plant.
The plant is still operating under a 2008 license, but Harmon said the district spent $700,000 in the past year to replace or upgrade some of its 25-year-old equipment, including $300,000 for a new control panel and repairs to holding tanks.
“The upgrades have been accomplished with money taken in from septic haulers, not from member rates,” Harmon noted. Private haulers servicing homes not connected to the town’s sewer line are charged fees for disposing of waste at the sewer plant for processing.
Further upgrades will be dependent on licensing requirements and funding grants, he said.
In the trustee election, Tom DeVaney is unopposed in his bid for the position held by long-time trustee Paul Hussey, who chose not to seek re-election. Current trustee Jim Flynn is also unopposed as he seeks re-election for his third term on the board.
Other members of the board are Ken Holmes, Kevin Emery, Jim Smith and Harmon.
Last year, even though the annual meeting was preceded by a public hearing to discuss a proposed sewer use rate increase and answer questions about the $14 million upgrade plan, attendance was sparse.
When it came time to elect trustees, the meeting was paused while members summoned family, friends and attendees at other meetings in the building to reach the required quorum of 25 users.
There was no comment on the increased sewer rate of two-tenths of a cent per gallon which became effective May 1, 2024. Sewer rates are determined by the trustees, in accordance with the district’s charter.
Sewer bills are based on metered water gallons used. A special meter to deduct water used for external watering from the sewer bill is available at the Sewer District office.
In addition, all district members are charged a service fee, currently $200, that helps balance the district’s operations budget, Harmon said.
The Sewer District, like the South Berwick Water District, is a quasi-governmental body affiliated with the town but governed by a board of trustees that meets the second Monday of each month at Town Hall.
The Sewer District business office was relocated last fall from its Main Street location to the third floor of Town Hall.
