Maine Breaks Ground on New Recovery-funded Plant
Maine Gov. John E. Baldacci joined employees of Aqua Maine to break ground on a new filtration plant that will serve the communities of Rockland, Rockport, Camden, Thomaston, Owls Head, and Union. The project is being funded in part through resources from the Federal Recovery Act, according to a June 29 press release.
“This project is a great example of how the funds from the Recovery Act were intended,” Baldacci said. “This project is putting people to work, it is benefiting nearly 8,000 customers in this region, and the facility will be LEED-certified, which means the environmental benefits will continue to be seen for generations.”
The new filtration plant at Mirror Lake in Rockport will help meet new federal requirements for improved water quality. The membrane filtration technology also leaves a smaller building footprint; uses fewer chemicals; and has a more efficient process, wasting less water.
“Critical projects in Maine’s infrastructure are improving quality of life and commerce throughout the state, providing good paying jobs,” the Governor said. “This $7 million project is a great example of that, with just over half the total project cost coming from the Recovery Act.”
Baldacci recently announced that Maine is the first state to achieve the requirement to commit 50 percent of the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund programs under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The funds are administered by the Maine Drinking Water Program and the Maine Municipal Bond Bank as part of the federal funding package. Aqua Maine received $2.5 million at 0 percent interest and $1.1 million in grants for this project.
For more information on Aqua Maine, visit www.aquamaine.com.