Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Drinking Water topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
RSU 40: High‑school well fracturing leads to arsenic exceedance; bottled water in use until treatment installed
Summary
District staff said hydraulic fracturing restored water flow at the high school but initial post‑fracture tests exceeded Maine's arsenic threshold; the state has placed the school on a do‑not‑drink and the district is supplying bottled water until an arsenic treatment system is installed.
Brian told the facilities and finance subcommittee the high school well was hydraulically fractured after the original well went dry and that initial testing after the procedure returned arsenic levels above Maine’s drinking‑water threshold, prompting a state do‑not‑drink order and a shift to bottled water for the remainder of the school year.
“Until we get an arsenic treatment plant they’re going to keep us on a do not drink water. … we will be on bottled water at the high school for drinking water through the remainder of the school year,” Brian said. He added that a subsequent sample returned below the threshold but that the state requires installation of a treatment system before restoring normal drinking‑water status.
Committee members asked about additional testing and mitigation steps. Staff explained the regulatory framework includes both monthly test results and a quarterly average; the district had exceeded the monthly threshold often enough that the state determined the risk justified maintaining the restriction. Brian briefed the committee on immediate logistics: palletized 8‑ounce bottles are being distributed, and staff are exploring options such as donated water or refill stations to reduce plastic waste and cost.
Brian also described that the hydraulic fracturing improved the well’s flow—peaking at 48.4 gallons per minute in one report—and that drilling a new well would have carried similar testing requirements and longer delays. He said the district had planned to install an arsenic treatment system in the high‑school boiler room as part of the biomass building work, and that freeing space in that area is part of the project timeline.
The committee did not direct staff to change the district’s immediate approach; members asked staff to continue appeals and to pursue installation plans timed with related work so the treatment system and larger storage can be in place as quickly as possible.
