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| A Portland Water District employee gives a tour and explains how the system works during a public tour of the district's Water Plant last fall. COURTESY PHOTO |
The budget incorporates a water rate adjustment which adds an additional $1.52 to a typical monthly water bill for a single-family residence. This adjustment represents a 5.9 percent increase from comparable 2023 water rates. The rate impact to other users including commercial, fire protection and other customers averages 6.4 percent.
The adjustments will take effect in January 2024. A public hearing and notification on the rate adjustments took place in November.
Much of the operating budget’s increase can be attributed to higher electricity and chemical costs, as well as higher debt service expenses, said Michelle Clements of Portland Water District.
She said a significant portion of the capital increase is related to construction of a new North Windham Wastewater Treatment Facility ($10.0 million) and for several upgrade projects at the East End Wastewater Treatment Facility ($15.8 million) in Portland.
Each of these efforts is receiving large investments from the state and federal government to offset a portion of the investment costs, Clements said.
The 2023 Comprehensive Budget can be found on PWD’s website at www.pwd.org.
Water Assistance Program
Clements said that a total of 241 Portland Water District customers received nearly $290,000 in benefits through the two-year-old Maine Water Assistance Program.
The federally funded program, designed to help income-eligible households maintain vital drinking water and wastewater services, targeted customers with unpaid bill balances, property liens for water utility non-payment, and those facing disconnection notices.
The number of customers served – 242 – was the highest amount of any water utility in Maine. The average amount of assistance was $1,179 per qualified customer. The exact total of assistance was $284,230.
Portland Water District promoted the program via its website and newsletter and sent letters to eligible customers with unpaid bills.
“We realize these are tough economic times for some of our customers,” said Seth Garrison, Portland Water District’s General Manager. “And we know the PWD provides critical services that our customers cannot live without. We were proud to have been able to market the program to make sure that our customers were fully aware of the available funds, and we’re pleased to have helped a significant number of them.”
The limited-time program was made possible through the American Rescue Plan Act. It allotted $4.7 million in Maine specifically to help people maintain water utility services. The Portland Water District partnered with MaineHousing, which administered the program, to provide a straightforward option for customers to get the assistance they needed.
Calendars available
The federally funded program, designed to help income-eligible households maintain vital drinking water and wastewater services, targeted customers with unpaid bill balances, property liens for water utility non-payment, and those facing disconnection notices.
The number of customers served – 242 – was the highest amount of any water utility in Maine. The average amount of assistance was $1,179 per qualified customer. The exact total of assistance was $284,230.
Portland Water District promoted the program via its website and newsletter and sent letters to eligible customers with unpaid bills.
“We realize these are tough economic times for some of our customers,” said Seth Garrison, Portland Water District’s General Manager. “And we know the PWD provides critical services that our customers cannot live without. We were proud to have been able to market the program to make sure that our customers were fully aware of the available funds, and we’re pleased to have helped a significant number of them.”
The limited-time program was made possible through the American Rescue Plan Act. It allotted $4.7 million in Maine specifically to help people maintain water utility services. The Portland Water District partnered with MaineHousing, which administered the program, to provide a straightforward option for customers to get the assistance they needed.
Calendars available
The water district’s popular Sebago Lake to Casco Bay Calendar (formerly Images of Sebago Lake Calendar) is now available to the public. You can pick up your copy from the outdoor receptacle at the Sebago Lake Protection Office, located at 1 White Rock Road in Standish or PWD’s Customer Service Lobby at 225 Douglass St. in Portland. Calendars are available from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, while supplies last. <
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