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Harpswell to roll out volunteer drinking-water and septic survey; Bowdoin interns to collect data
Summary
Town officials and Bowdoin College interns described a voluntary survey to map wells and septic systems; respondents will enter name and location and may report water-quality concerns, which will be compiled in aggregated summaries for planning.
Miriam, a Bowdoin College intern, explained a volunteer drinking-water and septic survey the town will distribute to gather well and septic locations, well construction date (if known), well type and water-quality concerns.
"Your voluntary survey response will help direct future conservation efforts and may lead to regulatory changes," Miriam told the meeting, and she walked residents through the online map interface for placing a pin to mark well or septic locations.
The survey requires a respondent name and tax map/lot information; other fields are optional. Presenters said the town intends to make the survey available by email and on the town website, with other outreach via the town bulletin and tax-bill mailings. If a resident cannot use email, paper/mail options will be available.
Presenters said location data used for mapping will be visible for planning purposes but that individual reports of personal concerns would not be publicly posted in a way that identifies a household; staff will compile and report aggregated summaries of problem areas instead.
Officials said the survey aims to provide a baseline after several recent drought years and build data for potential corrective measures, beach/public-health considerations, and targeted monitoring (including legacy/abandoned wells that can be monitored for seawater intrusion).
