Kittery council, water district discuss supply strain and Navy project

The Kittery Town Council and Kittery Water District Board of Trustees held a joint workshop on the district's water supply and capacity. The district superintendent described low pond levels, a possible safe yield study, and the Navy's P-1080 project, which would expand the treatment plant from five to seven million gallons per day. Trustees and councilors also discussed a proposed reserve capacity agreement with the Navy and recent large water leaks at the shipyard.

Key points

• The superintendent said the district's four surface water ponds are well below normal levels and that recent rain was not enough to recharge them.
• He said the district is already producing about 2.82 million gallons per day on average, near projections previously made for 2037, leaving roughly 800,000 gallons per day below the lowest safe yield estimate.
• The Navy's P-1080 project would upgrade the treatment plant from five to seven million gallons per day and replace or upsize water mains, with construction expected to start in spring 2027 and run through about 2030 or 2031.
• Trustees said the Navy is working on a reserve capacity agreement and that the district has asked the shipyard to throttle down during leaks and to follow the same conservation rules as other customers.
• Trustee Carla Robinson said she told Navy officials that the shipyard is one customer and that leaks cannot continue at the expense of Kittery residents; she said the new commander was receptive.
• The superintendent said future large housing developments may need groundwater wells if the district cannot serve them, and that a capacity development analysis is now required for projects of four units or more.

Next steps

• The superintendent said he plans a safe yield study in the coming year if funding allows, and will look at potential new sources, interconnections, and the Saco River.
• The district is working with the Navy on a reserve capacity agreement and on access and response procedures for water district staff at the shipyard.
• The district is working on a new website and emergency communication methods, and the town offered its listserv for pushing out information.
• The council may schedule a follow-up workshop or submit additional questions to the superintendent.

Read the full transcript