Maine sewer management and three Penobscot bay towns

Maine  public sewer system is based on a municipal-scaled "Sewer District" system.
Definition:"Sewer district means a quasi-municipal corporation...established to construct and operate sewer systems to assist in the abatement of the pollution of public streams, lakes and inland and ocean waters."


Enabling state law: Title 38 Chapter 12   
See  Review  of  standards of  Maine state sewer district law  

 Title 38 Sec 1042. Sewer Extensions; applicable to all sewer districts

Section 1042 has two basic requirements to be met when proposing extending  sewer:
* The development to be served by the extended sewer - and the sewer pipe that would connect it to the wastewater treatment system - must both conform with "adopted municipal plans and ordinances regulating land use."

* Sewer districts must submit their operating plans to the Maine Board of Environmental Protection for review and approval

MDEP 2010 streams bays water quality appendices


ROCKLAND SEWERS

1. Rockland  sewage plant EPA permit 

2. Rockland Sewerline extension data
"Should the City extend public sewer and water to encourage development? "


From Rockland Comprehensive Plan: 
Regional wastewater coordination.
Excerpts
"Rockland wastewater lines not only serve the City of Rockland, but they also currently serve portions of Owls Head, Thomaston, and Rockport.

"The Glen Cove area and the Samoset Hotel, both located in Rockport are served by the City of Rockland sewer system.

"Rockland provides sewer service to a limited number of homes on Ingraham's Hill in Owls Head the remaining portions of Owls Head has no wastewater treatment system. Other surrounding towns have no public sewer systems

Rockland Comprehensive plan
Marine Resources
" As water quality improves in the harbor, in part due to extension of sanitary sewers to the Ingrahams Hill section of Owls Head, the City could work with the Town in the event they wish to develop public facilities along the southern shore of Rockland Harbor. Construction on the sewer line began in May 2000. "

"Rockland wastewater lines not only serve the City of Rockland, but they also currently serve portions of Owls Head, Thomaston, and Rockport.

"The Glen Cove area and the Samoset Hotel, both located in Rockport are served by the City of Rockland sewer system.

"Rockland provides sewer service to a limited number of homes on Ingraham's Hill in Owls Head the remaining portions of Owls Head has no wastewater treatment system. Other surrounding towns have no public sewer systems

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ROCKPORT SEWERS

Rockport Village is served by the Town of Camden wastewater treatment facility. 

Rockport wastewater section of its comprehensive plan (go to pages 94-96)

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Rockport Wastewater Commissioners March 2013  (See VI-c.)  (
Narrative:
... Tracy Murphy motioned to open as the Wastewater Commissioners. Seconded by Geoffrey Parker. VOTE: 5 FOR – 0 OPPOSED.

VI. Wastewater Commissioners
a. Commitment of Commercial Sewer User Rates for the period of January 2013. Kenneth McKinley motioned to commit the Sewer User Rates for the period of January 2013 for collection. Seconded by Tracy Murphy. VOTE: 5 FOR – 0 OPPOSED.

b. Discuss issues raised by the review of the existing Sewer Ordinance. 1) No requirement to connect if functioning septic system is in place, 2) required to connect if systems fails, 3) debt service required if sewer goes in front of dwelling.

 c. How to proceed with the idea of extending the Commercial Street sewer north from its current terminus in the vicinity of South Street. Do in conjunction with a southward extension of the sewer from Elwood Avenue to Rockville Street.
1) Sewer line expansion - +/- 1,600;’
2) Contact Woodward & Curran for cost estimate;
3) Seven (7) bed hospice facility on Pen Bay Medical Center site. The proposed Sewer Ordinance will not be completed in time for a vote in June.

The Glen Cove system is at 83% capacity. DEP will review at 90% capacity. The Town of Rockport is in discussion with Pen Bay Medical Center for a joint sewer line extension project. Establishing a bond will be discussed.

Tracy Murphy motioned to close as the Wastewater Commissioners...
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CAMDEN

Camden POTW  MEPDES permit

Camden Sewer Ordinance

Camden Comprehensive plan 



GENERAL MAINE SEWER AND WATEWATER INFO

Actual and predicted development Penobscot Bay 1940-2050


DHHS separation of water mains and sewer mains 

Maine Legislature begins - bills affecting the bay

Some of the many bills coming up before the Maine legislature that, if passed, would affect Penobscot Bay. For a larger list click here

LD 1601 An Act To Create the Lincolnville Sewer District
Public Hearing: Jan 14, 2010, 1PM, Rm 211 Cross Building
"Each sanitary district .... shall have the power, within the district, within the territory of any adjoining municipality, and within any adjoining unorganized territory, to lay pipes, drains, sewers and conduits, and to take up, repair and maintain the same or to contract for the same to be done, in, along and through any public or private ways and public grounds, and in, along and through lands of any person or corporation, to and into tidal waters, rivers, watercourses and treatment works..."

Discussion: This should be renamed Lincolnville Sprawl Act of 2010. If passed, the nation's land speculators will pour into Lincolnville, buy land at outrageous prices to raise property taxes high enough to drive out the back to-landers and working folks, buy THEIR land, put up a walmart and the usual junk food palaces, transform farms into subdivisions, and line the town's shore with condominiums - all connected to Camden's sewer & water system.

LD 932 An Act To Establish Area Management of Maine's Scallop Fishery
Public hearing Jan 13, 2010, 12noon Room 214 Cross Building.
: "This bill seeks to establish area management of the State's scallop fishery."
With greatly reduced populations of scallops in state waters - look at the old days - from some combination of  pollution, habitat degradation, fishing and other causes - the Maine gov't now wants to see if the sort of zoning system that was applied to lobstering during Angus King's reign can be applied to scallops as well.   Much skepticism among the fleet; this will bear close attention if it to be done right, or be rejected

 LD 1508 Resolve, Directing the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife To Adopt Rules Clarifying Fish Stocking Decisions    Public Hearing Jan 12, 2010, 0100PMRoom 206 Cross Building  
The bill bids DIFW to create rules "clarifying fish stocking decisions in public waters....the rules must include a definition for "reasonable public access." This would include "an assessment of the availability of publicly owned access points, the availability and suitability of privately owned, publicly accessible points, the resources contributed and responsibilities undertaken by local residents and associations, the threat of invasive species and the reasonableness and effectiveness of citizen-initiated programs to prevent the spread of invasive species, including the availability of boat-washing systems at launch ramps, on-site volunteer monitoring efforts and supervised gate systems."

There will no doubt be many more. Stay tuned.