LIMESTONE, Maine — Limestone will replace its drinking water tank, which has served the town for nearly a century, in September of this year.
Officials from Wright-Pierce, an engineering firm with offices in New England and Florida; DN Tanks, a company responsible for building tanks across the globe; the Maine Drinking Water Program; and the Town of Limestone gathered near the community’s current tank on a windy, overcast morning to break ground for the $1.08 million project.
Jeff Musich, senior vice president and water practice group leader at Wright-Pierce, said during the May 15 event that he is particularly thankful to Maine Drinking Water Program Team Supervisor Bill Dawson and Environmental Engineer Larry Girvan for providing the funding for the project.
According to Wright-Pierce Lead Project Engineer Naleen Mayberry, who works out of the organization’s Topsham office, 55 percent of the $1.08 million is covered by a low-interest loan while the other 45 percent will be paid for through a grant.
“It’s been a pleasure working with Jim [Leighton, Limestone Water and Sewer District Superintendent],” said Musich. “This tank will provide a lot of great benefits; it’s something that towns see delivered once in a lifetime.”
Mayberry estimated the town built its current tank before 1930, and that “the only thing holding it in place is gravity.”
“The new tank will be about 50 feet in diameter and 27 feet tall,” she said, “so pretty much the same proportions as this tank, but we’re going up from 250,000 gallons of storage to 390,000 gallons with the new tank.”
The engineer added that the new tank will have a tideflex mixing system, which “keeps the water fresher as it comes in and prevents freezing.”
“This is what the SRF Program [Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund] is all about,” said Girvan, “helping small, challenged communities, and keeping the infrastructure in good condition.”
Limestone’s current water system involves two wells and seven miles of water mains. Their water treatment plant, according to the town website, can process 450 gallons per minute, and the filtering process adds 12.5 percent chlorine, 23 percent fluoride, mixing Sea-Quest granular at a ratio of 14 pounds to every 50 gallons of water. Nitrates are then removed via seven-step ion exchange process, and salt used in the backwashing process removes nitrate build-ups in the filters.
Limestone also received the distinction of having the best tasting water in the state during the Maine Rural Water Association’s 29th annual best tasting water contest in 2015.
Dawson said the new tank will benefit residential growth in Limestone and other communities of its size.
Mayberry said engineers aim to finish the project by late August or early September, adding that the existing tank will stay online until the new one is completed.
Interim Town Manager Tom Stevens said he appreciates the Water and Sewer District’s efforts to fund the project.
“The town is always appreciative of the improvements the Water and Sewer District makes to its infrastructure,” he said, “because that serves all their ratepayers, who, under many cases, are also tax payers.”
