RSU 40 seeks $24.9 million bond to renovate high school, citing asbestos, water and accreditation risks

RSU 40 officials on a recent public forum outlined a proposed $24.9 million bond to gut-renovate the district high school to address asbestos tile, nonpotable water and decades-old mechanical systems, and said state grants would cover a portion of the work.

The project team — architect Ann Keterer of Novo Studio and Carrie Worms of EEI — told attendees the plan focuses on three guiding goals: remediate health and safety hazards (including asbestos and arsenic in the water), optimize space for contemporary teaching and learning, and keep spending fiscally responsible. "We would remediate all 50,000 square feet of the asbestos tile," Keterer said, adding that the building is about 105,000 square feet in total and that the work would include new plumbing, electrical, ceilings and flooring.

Why this matters: district leaders said the building’s mechanical systems are at the end of their useful life, the water supply in the building is not potable due to arsenic levels "a little more than what we wanna…