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The old
standpipe on Lebanon Street was built in 1898 and remained in
service until 1988.
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The history of the Winterport Water
District dates back to 1889 when the Maine Legislature granted the first
charters to the Winterport Water Company. Little was done to provide
service to the Town, but in 1895, the Charter was again renewed by the
Legislature. At a town meeting on April 22, 1895, by a vote of 208 in
favor and 135 opposed, the People of Winterport approved the creation of
a municipal water company. The debate centered on whether a waterworks
would benefit the entire town, and the initial vote reflected a
difference of opinion between the residents of the village and the
residents of the outlying area. Continued opposition to the creation of
a municipally owned and operated water utility forced a second vote on
May 23, 1896. The issue debated at the town meeting was an article to
eliminate the contract between the town and with the state chartered
Winterport Water Company. The article was defeated 239 to 175 and
nullified the previous action to establish a municipal water service.
The vote did however result in putting pressure on the Winterport Water
Company to deliver the water service it had originally promised to
provide.
When it came time to begin actual construction of the water system, a
dispute over who would complete the construction work arose between Col.
Fred Atwood and one of the three company officers, Mr. W.H. Haden. Mr.
Haden wanted to use inexpensive immigrant labor but Col. Atwood would
not have it and stated bluntly, “Then you needn’t bother with the job;
nothing but Winterport muscle goes into this piece of work and don’t you
forget it; if anybody’s going to make a dollar out of this thing the
people of Winterport are going to be in it”. Col. Atwood won and the
work was completed with local labor that, in between planting and
harvesting, built the waterworks for the handsome amount of $1.50 per
day.
The original
waterworks was built along Lowe’s Brook and had an estimated capacity of
500,000 to 700,000 gallons per day. This was enough to supply a city of
20,000. The original metal standpipe was finished in 1898 and remained
in service in until 1988. When it was taken down it was one of the
oldest towers in New England.
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The old pumphouse
over by Lowe's Brook. Notice the big stack and high roof on the
back of the building. This was where the steam came from to drive
the water pumps. |
The
Winterport Water Company continued to operate the water system as a
private company until 1969 when the people of Winterport voted toacquire
the company from its then owner Consumer Water Corp. of Portland. At the
same time the Winterport Water District was created by a special act of
the Legislature as a quasi-municipal corporation to purchase the water
company. The enabling act provided the new Water District would be
governed and managed by a five member Board of Trustees. The Trustees
serve for five-year terms and one trustee is appointed by the Board of
selectman each year.
In 1985, the
Water District embarked on a major upgrade of its distribution and its
water source. The old original impoundment on Lowe’s Brook was replaced
by four well points located at the end of a large sand and gravel
aquifer, which bisects Winterport. The aquifer is also the source of
Lowe’s Brook, continues to provide an abundant source of high quality
water. It is for this reason that it is important to protect the sand
and gravel aquifer so the Districts customers may continue to enjoy this
valuable and irreplaceable water resource. The distribution system was
also upgraded in 1985 to enhance the capacities of the water mains and
fire hydrants. The water district continues to upgrade and improve the
system as funds become available in a continuing effort to provide clean
and abundant water to our customers.