WEST PARIS — The Maine Drinking Water Program has announced that drinking water for the West Paris Water District’s 214 customers is now safe.

On Thursday the agency notified WPWD and Maine Rural Water Association, the contracted operator for the utility, that samples tested Wednesday showed levels to be within Maine state guidelines.

“The system continues to pump 90,000 gallons a day,” WPWD Trustee Chair David Walton told the Advertiser Democrat.

MDWP also conducted a sanitary inspection Wednesday, a follow-up to one done in June of 2024 after high levels of e. Coli were discovered.

Last year’s inspection led to a consent agreement the utility needs to comply with as it addresses multiple infrastructure risks uncovered last summer.

The reservoir cover had torn, allowing contaminants to enter the tank. WDWP issued a boil water order that stayed in effect from April until August.

There are also leaks in the liner that could not safely be repaired then, as it required contracting with a dive team. But following this week’s inspection, Walton said Operator Gilbert Ross has been directed to determine the exact locations of the reservoir leaks and create a plan for repairs.

Walton could not specify when the latest sanitary inspection results will be available but added it may lead to MDWP adjusting the consent order, to allow for short term solutions before the reservoir is replaced with a concrete unit.

According to the agreement, the new holding tank needs to be completed in two years.

The surge that destroyed the intake pump’s motor Aug. 4 also impacted the electrical panel, and operators were unable to get the backup to run. WPWD announced a “conserve water” advisory that day, but within 24 hours issued a “do not use water” order when the reservoir’s level dropped below half capacity. 

Walmart in Oxford and Poland Spring Water donated drinking water which was distributed from West Paris’ town garage. According to water district trustee Judy Boutilier, boxes of gallon jugs were passed out to residents starting Aug. 6 until Aug. 12 when they ran out.

MRWA coordinated with private potable water haulers and the Oxford County Emergency Management Agency to replenish the system, but between Aug. 6-7 the reservoir became depleted. 

Operators were able to keep the system pressurized as more water was trucked in Aug. 7 and 8 from Paris.

Electrician contractors replaced the electrical panel and on Aug. 8 the repaired pump was reinstalled.

Maine Drinking Water Program lifted the “do not use” order Saturday and announced the “boil water” notice in its place.

An additional development last week was that Maine Rural Water Association applied to Maine Department of Economic & Community Development for an emergency block grant, which was awarded to the town of West Paris for $50,000.

The Select Board held an emergency meeting Aug. 7 to accept the funds and scheduled a second board meeting for Aug. 11 to schedule a special town meeting. 

Voters must approve spending money from the grant.

The special town meeting will be held at 5 p.m. Aug. 28 at Ring-McKeen American Legion Post No. 151 on Church Street. Town Manager Joy Downing mailed notices Aug. 13 with two meeting articles to all residents, as required by charter.

The first article is to select a moderator. The second calls for townspeople to vote whether to authorize West Paris to administer grant payouts.

MRWA Executive Director and Water District Superintendent Kirsten Hebert talked to the district’s board of trustees Aug. 12 about the scope of the Aug. 4 electrical malfunction.

“The fallout from last week spanned more than just the motor of the pump,” Hebert wrote in an email to Walton, Boutilier and Trustee Janet Hebert. “We lost the diaphragm to the Soda Ash injection pump — my immediate guess is that when the system came to an immediate stop, the chemical injection pump felt all of those vibrations. There was a spare on the shelf, but now we will need to order a new “spare” — additionally, the screws that hold both the top and bottom cover on were so shaken by the vibrations that we will need to order another top and bottom piece.

“Additionally, the inline pH meter is also out of calibration — there is a handheld unit and that reads correctly. (We) had Matt (Gilbert) take the reading from the inline meter to Paris Utility District to test the pH against the handheld — same surmise, the inline meter also got shaken during the motor incident.”

Hebert said the issues she described would be applied toward the urgently needed funding request she had secured. “It may or may not exceed the $50,000,”

Sign up for our weekly community newsletter, Oxford Hills Now.