Big changes ahead for Danforth water

By Elna Seabrooks
Staff Writer
    DANFORTH — State officials met with the Danforth Water District trustees Monday to discuss a half million dollars in improvements the utility will make to its aging infrastructure, some of which, is more than a century old.
    “It’ll make a big difference, down the road. It’s the second river crossing. The one we’ve got now is old. If it happens to fail, then, this side of town has no water,” said James Golding, chairman of the board of the Danforth Water District about the state of the existing water system.
    Work on improvements will start in May thanks to a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). Michael D. Baran, director of the state’s Office of Community Development that has assisted Danforth in the past with upgrades and restorations said “Danforth has been active in the CDBG program for a good number of years.” Baran said the town qualifies for the latest CDBG grant as a low-income area which is a criterion for the program.
Houlton Pioneer Times photgraph/Elna Seabrooks
READY TO DIG IN — State officials sat down Monday with Danforth Water District representatives and their engineer in the town office to discuss how the $500,000 Community Development Block Grant will upgrade the town’s water system. From left are: Andrea Smith, Department of Economic and Community Development; James Lord, Dirigo Engineering; and Michael Baran, Office of Community Development.  Representing the Danforth Water District are employee, Greg Mailman and Chairman James Golding, next to Trustees Michael Koposcinski and Debbie Theriault.
    James Lord, engineer for the project who evaluated the system, says Danforth has a high quality water system but due to the age of the pipes, some have had numerous leaks and breaks. “We’re going to put in a redundant river crossing” to strengthen the system said Lord of the single stretch of pipe that carries water from the well across the river into town.
    Water Operator Greg Mailman, who takes care of the plant and maintains the system’s operation, says wells and the reservoir are on the opposite side of town. If the water main were to break in the event of a fire, everything in the immediate vicinity of Depot Street and the intersection of Route 1 and Route 169 which includes stores and the school, would be vulnerable and potentially destroyed. He said numerous repairs have been made on that particular water main over its 100-year lifespan.
    Additional planned improvements, says Mailman, include replacing century old hydrants, adding new ones and extending water service along Route 1 to provide potable water to the local health center.