When it comes to fire protection and water quality on the peninsula, Boothbay Region Water District Manager Jon Ziegra said he is optimistic about the future.

The water district has its sights set on Boothbay Harbor's Campbell Street and the town of Southport for next year.

Campbell Street

The funding isn't 100 percent official, but the odds are looking good that the district will receive roughly $640,000 in state bonds in order to connect Campbell Street with the surrounding water system, Ziegra said.

Concept designs from Wright-Pierce, an engineering firm with offices in Portland, involve blasting ledge to lay about 1,600 feet of water pipe under Campbell Street to tie into to the water systems of Highland Park and Dora Highland subdivisions.

“You got a big main coming down Mount Pisgah (water tower), so were' going to tie them in so now the water will go in different directions,” Ziegra said.

If funding comes through, the project would be administered by the Maine Municipal Bond Bank at a very low interest rate, Ziegra said. As soon as the water district get approval, construction could begin in 2014.

The Campbell Street project was competing amongst other capital improvement projects around the state. Ziegra said BRWD made the primary list, and is now just waiting for the money.

Southport water storage

When the town of Southport merged with the water district in 2012, plans to improve the island's fire protection were a priority.

The plan is to replace the old Southport water tower with a new 500,000 gallon concrete standpipe (at the same location) similar to the one on Mount Pisgah. The district will then extend the water supply down the Route 238 corridor and across Townsend Gut to the four way intersection known as “Four Corners” in West Boothbay Harbor.

The project will not only provide Southport residents with better fire protection, but it will also make Boothbay Harbor better meet its ISO demands, which is an independent evaluation for fire insurance, Ziegra said.

Between Mount Pisgah and Southport, “there will be a million gallons of storage at any one time for Boothbay Harbor,” Ziegra said.

The project also spreads the costs of fire protection more equitably among the towns, Ziegra said. Currently Boothbay Harbor and Boothbay split the costs for fire protection, which makes up nearly 30 percent of the water district's annual operating budget. Merging with Southport will shift the costs and probably result in a rate reduction for the municipalities, at least in the short term, Ziegra said.

The project is estimated to cost $3.2 million, of which Ziegra is hoping to secure at least $1.2 million from a rural development grant from the United States Department of Agriculture. The remaining money would be borrowed at a 3.2 percent interest rate, Ziegra said.

The new project would tie into the 5,800 feet of water main recently installed on the Cross Road on Southport. Ziegra said he has hopes of one day getting a fire hydrant at the Southport Central School.

“We are very optimistic that this will be funded,” Ziegra said, who hopes to get the green light by the end of the year. If approved, Ziegra said the majority of the Southport project would take place from November of 2014 to March of 2015, which would have a minimal impact to Route 27 during the peak tourist season.