The issue of bottled water has garnered lots of attention here in Maine in recent years. Proponents argue that Maine's water is a renewable, and that bottling spring and ground water is a sustainable business venture that can provide good paying jobs to rural, economically depressed parts of the state. Opponents to bottled water have myriad reasons for their position, including loss of local control and the privatization of a public resource to bottled waters' negative environment impacts. The issues are complicated and have become increasingly divisive.
Surface flows in our rivers and streams are greatly influenced by groundwater. In fact, inputs of water from seeps and springs can be significant portions of overall surface flow, especially during periods of low precipitation (summer and winter). As such, every proposal for groundwater extraction needs to be carefully studied and assessed to make sure that taking away groundwater will not adversely affect surface flows, water temperature, and other important physical and chemical attributes of our rivers and streams. Each river is different, so every proposed extraction needs to be thoroughly examined.
Earlier this year, the Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Wells Water District (KKW) announced that it was finalizing an agreement with Nestle Waters North America (Nestle) that would have provided Nestle with up to 432,000 gallons of groundwater per day from the Branch Brook aquifer in the towns of Kennebunk and Wells. Concerned local citizens organized against the proposed agreement, drawing national attention to the issue. The agreement has since been tabled, but it is likely that the issue will come back during 2009.
Maine Rivers did not take a position on the proposed sale of water. However, along with Trout Unlimited and the Atlantic Salmon Federation, we sent a letter to the KKW Trustees (see letter below) outlining some concerns with the sale. Our primary concern was the potential impact that the proposed sale of water could have on the future ecological health of Branch Brook and its streamflow levels and native fish populations.
Each of these organizations, Trout Unlimited, the Atlantic Salmon Federation and Maine Rivers, has spent about the better part of five years working with community water providers, agricultural interests, state agencies, numerous industry groups, and many other stakeholders in the development of new statewide instream flow and water level rules. These rules are aimed at protecting aquatic life while also allowing continued use of our water for such things as irrigation, snow-making, and drinking water.
One major issue of concern throughout this lengthy process was how to balance protection of aquatic resources with community needs for clean drinking water. Human demand for water in Maine has grown to such an extent that in several places, primarily in southern and coastal Maine, there is simply not enough water available during certain high demand periods for the rivers, ponds, and streams themselves. Branch Brook is one of the best, or worst, examples of this. For at least two decades, portions of Branch Brook have dried-up during late summer and early autumn and the brook generally experiences unnaturally low or altered flows throughout the year. We were told by staff from KKW that there simply was no more water available in Branch Brook to allow KKW to provide drinking water and also meet standards. So, we were quite surprised when we learned that KKW was about to enter a 30-year agreement with Nestle to sell a significant amount of water from the same watershed.
We believe that protection of aquatic resources outweighs commercial extraction of water. Providing safe and clean drinking water for the public and providing healthy stream flows are of paramount importance. Selling water to a private company at the expense of either is not.
click here to view a pdf of the Miane Rivers Letter to the Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Wells Water District |
