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Residents urge action as Androscoggin Lake water quality worsens; Select Board agrees to consider public forum
Summary
Several residents warned the Select Board Oct. 7 about sharply reduced water clarity and recurring algae conditions in Androscoggin Lake, urged the town to organize a public forum and consider a committee to coordinate remediation options, and cited economic and health impacts on seasonal rentals and property values.
Multiple residents used the Oct. 7 public-comment period to press the Select Board for town-level action on worsening water quality in Androscoggin Lake.
A resident who identified herself as a lake property owner said the lake’s clarity has fallen and that seasonal rental demand has dropped as conditions worsened in August–September. She urged the town to form a committee or hold a public forum to galvanize broader community support and pursue remediation, including potential alum treatments, which residents said could cost millions.
William Messer, who identified himself as a resident and a water chemist, told the board he has led volunteer testing efforts for years and described the lake’s condition as the worst in recent memory. Messer warned of public-health risks to children and pets and emphasized the cost and complexity of remediation because of historic phosphorus accumulation in lake sediments.
Another resident, Ken Sullivan, asked whether recent property reassessments would consider the lake’s declining conditions. Board members suggested options for next steps: a town-led public event (distinct from a regular Select Board meeting), coordinating with regional groups such as 30 Mile River and ALIC (Androscoggin Lake Improvement Corporation), and the town acting as a convener to help marshal resources for potential state grant or multi-town action. The chair said the Select Board can facilitate public engagement and recommended residents bring suggested formats for a forum; the board said it could assist by scheduling an informational event and suggested coordinating with adjacent towns where the lake lies in multiple jurisdictions.
No formal town appropriation was proposed; residents and the board agreed to continue discussions and to consider scheduling a dedicated public forum soon.
