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April 21, 2011

Bingham wastewater to see upgrade

By Erin Rhoda erhoda@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

BINGHAM -- This town of about 1,000 people recently learned its wastewater infrastructure will be upgraded with the help of $1.57 million in federal loan and grant funds.

The town will receive a $627,000 loan and a $943,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of Rural Development to improve its wastewater service. The money is a piece of more than $105 million provided by the agriculture department to 53 water and wastewater projects nationwide. The department made the announcement Monday in time for Earth Day, it said, which is Friday.

The town's lift stations -- where all waste water goes before being pumped to the treatment plant -- were built in 1970 and have never been upgraded, said Ernest Pooler, sewer district superintendent.

Though he didn't know the stations' life expectancy, they are in need of repair, he said.

The upgrades will help "preserve the Kennebec River for many who depend on it as a drinking water source and for fishing, swimming, boating and other outdoor recreation," Rural Development State Director Virginia Manuel said in a release.

U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud said the funding is essential because water infrastructure in Maine is aging.

"The resources made available for this project in Bingham will benefit residents by creating jobs and making critical investments in their wastewater system," Michaud said in a statement.

The loan and grant will also leave room for money generated from a tax-increment financing district to fund other projects.

In March residents approved a tax-increment financing district for wind project developer First Wind. It will funnel property tax increases from the proposed turbine project into a fund for economic development. One of the items on the list for economic development is upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant.

Erin Rhoda -- 474-9534

erhoda@centralmaine.com

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