Maine House gives unanimous approval to Fay’s safe drinking water legislation

AUGUSTA – The Maine House of Representatives voted unanimously this week to advance a bill to support safe drinking water. LD 1891, sponsored by Rep. Jessica Fay, D-Raymond, would provide one-time funding to eligible owners of single-family homes or landlords for the treatment of private drinking water wells that show evidence of contamination.

State Rep. Jessica Fay

The Division of Environmental and Community Health estimates that one in 10 wells in Maine has high levels of arsenic, uranium, radon or other harmful chemicals. If passed into law, Fay’s bill would give households in Maine financial support to remove chemical contamination in their drinking water wells.

“Clean drinking water is not a partisan issue. Every household in Maine deserves to have clean, safe water— I think that is something we can all agree on,” said Fay. “I am proud that the Legislature voted unanimously in support of this measure, and I am thankful to all the advocates and members of the public who have shared their support. Passing this bill into law will bring us one step closer to ensuring that every kid in Maine has access to clean drinking water.”

During the public hearing for LD 1891 before the Labor and Housing Committee in February, several members of the public and organizations testified in support of the proposal, including the Maine State Housing Authority, Defend Our Health, the Maine Association of Realtors, Sierra Club and Maine Community Action Partnership.

“Bad well water begets bad outcomes. Arsenic can cause cancer and low birth weight infants; lead, as we all know can cause long-term intellectual damage. Other contaminants just make people sick in other ways. And while so many health issues today seem insurmountable, well water problems can often be solved in a straightforward and cost-effective way,” said Erik Jorgensen, the Maine Housing Authority’s senior director of government relations and communications. “My grandmother in Buckfield used to hand me a glass of water from her well and say without fail ‘now, taste that good Maine water.’ And she was right – the water in our state is delicious – some of the best anywhere. With this bill we move a step closer to assuring that our water is in fact as safe as it is refreshing.”

The bill faces further votes in the House and Senate in the coming weeks.

Fay is serving her third term in the Maine Legislature and represents parts of Casco, Poland and Raymond. She serves on the Legislature’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee and the Government Oversight Committee. <