Dear Editor:

Maine may be entering spring already in a drought, with forecasts suggesting this dry condition could persist. Water security must be the top priority over winter for both the Legislature and the Boothbay Region Water District (BRWD).

Two recent bills are often cited as progress on Boothbay’s pipeline plan. LD 293 increased the BRWD’s borrowing limit, and LD 2104 amended the charter of the Wiscasset Water District to allow a regional connection. Yet neither bill provided funding or launched construction. The estimated $28 million pipeline to connect Boothbay with Brunswick-Topsham remains conceptual, years away at best.

Meanwhile, the BRWD has expanded distribution—converting seasonal mains on Southport’s Hendricks Hill Road to year-round service and extending lines along Joppa Road. Expanding water service without securing supply is like opening more taps on a pond already shrinking: Knickerbocker Pond is reliable, but it cannot do so indefinitely—especially in a lingering drought.

The impacts are already clear. Lakefront residents on Knickerbocker Pond have raised concerns for years at BRWD meetings. Water levels are historically down multiple feet, and Campbell Creek no longer flows into West Harbor Pond. Ecological health and local water security are affected, underscoring the urgent need for careful planning before further expansion.

Legislative leadership must act. If Augusta can clear legal and financial paths for the pipeline, it must also ensure a credible plan to secure long-term water sources before expanding service areas. Rep. Holly Stover, both a sponsor of LD 293 and a BRWD trustee, should see that all residents are given a clear update on the pipeline and plans to address the pending second season of drought.  Conservation, water resource analysis, and responsible contingency planning must come first. Anything less risks creating a larger distribution system that causes Adams, Knickerbocker and West Harbor Pond (lacking fresh water inflow) to be irreversibly damaged.

Andy Cozzi

Boothbay