When the Boothbay Region Water District and the town of Boothbay reformatted their agreement to share the costs of code enforcement, the two entities decided to take inventory of all the septic systems and fuel tanks surrounding the watershed protection zone.

The watershed protection zone encompasses Adams Pond and Knickerbocker Lake, the two sources that supply three towns in the Boothbay region with public drinking water.

Boothbay Town Manager Jim Chaousis and Art Dunlap, a part-time code enforcement officer, presented their initial findings to the water district board of trustees on June 23.

In an effort to database all the properties surrounding the watershed, Dunlap created a color coded list of hundreds of homes that are adjacent to the lakes and well heads.

His findings currently include 144 lots adjacent to the lakes and wellheads. Five lots are on public sewer, and 12 lots have septic systems less than 100 feet from the water. Dunlap also found three lots with oil tanks less than 100 feet from the water. He said six lots have outside tanks, and 10 lots contain tanks older than 15 years old.

(For a list of all the properties surveyed to date, see attached file)

Additionally, Dunlap identified existing cesspools and fuel storage hazards that could potentially pose a threat in the future.

Water district trustee Jon Lewis of Boothbay asked if documenting properties was an effort to find existing code violations.

“We're not looking for violations, we're not looking for fines, we are just trying to inform people when there is a concern out there, to think about this,” Dunlap said. “Everybody has been very receptive and likes the idea that the survey is being done, because everybody is concerned about the lakes.”

In addition to keeping inventory, the town has set up monthly reports to keep the water district abreast of any building permits or phoned inquiries that affect the watershed area.

Chaousis said monthly reports and an up-to-date database will not only provide an accurate record of the watershed protection zone, it will also make internal controls easier to manage between the town and the water district.

Trustee Smith Climo of Southport asked what federal or state money is available for families that might have difficulty affording upkeep to their fuel or septic tanks.

Water District Manager Jon Ziegra said the state's source water protection program has been moving towards a more residential friendly system for funding families with low and moderate incomes, but for money available now, it all depends on the situation, Ziegra said.

Chaousis also did not rule out the possibility of future incentive programs.

“If Jon (Ziegra) identifies a troubled area and we can do a pump out program for a specific year to see if that eliminates the problem, then we can do the cost benefit to see if it is worth us getting involved in a situation like replacing some septic systems, or if it's worth it in the long run,” Chaousis said. “I don't know yet, but it gives us much more tools.”

Maintaining the watershed area stems from a 2003 agreement to share the costs of code enforcement. The agreement was reformatted last year to develop a more comprehensive approach between the water district and the town of Boothbay that stores all the public drinking water for the Boothbay region.