Bath Water District is seeking funding to construct an estimated $8 million water transmission main linking Nequasset Road to Route 127 in Woolwich.

“We have most of the engineering done as part of our funding application and we are on the primary funding list for State Revolving Funds,” Trevor Hunt, BWD Superintendent, told Wiscasset Newspaper. “Included in that award if it becomes finalized by the state and (Environmental Protection Agency) is 20% American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant funds and 25% of Principal Forgiveness,” explained Hunt. “While we don’t have the project out to bid yet, we hope to by April ... with construction to start as soon as possible.”

Hunt said among his biggest concerns are recent “significant price increases” in the cost of pipe along with problems associated with the supply chain. “Our engineering estimates on our application are in the $8 million range but everything is subject to the resulting bids,” he added.

BWD’s proposed pipeline will be of 16-inch steel ductile stretching  just over three miles long. It will extend north from Woolwich Central School on Nequasset Road to the junction of Middle Road (State Route 127). From there, the transmission line runs southward eventually linking up with the current main behind Cumberland Farms on Route 1.

“The pipeline will bring fire protection to a significant portion of the town,” Hunt continued.

“The need for the project is mostly creating redundancy as we only have one transmission main feeding the two river crossings.” The current main has been cause for concern, he said, as it crosses an aging box culvert at the southern end of George Wright Road, an area subject to sea level rise and flooding during significant storms. The culvert is scheduled to be removed as part of the planned Back River Project.

“The other area of concern is the Station 46 Bridge Project on Route 1,” said Hunt. He said BWD’s water transmission main will be impacted by the bridge replacement.

Hunt said the water district hopes to be able to work with the Department of Environmental Protection and town officials to provide public water to three homes on Route 127. The homeowners have been impacted by forever chemicals leeching into the groundwater from the town’s former landfill.

“We had a very good meeting with (BWD officials) this past week,” said David King Sr., chairman of the Woolwich selectboard. “We asked if they’d be willing to provide water services to the homes impacted by the former landfill. We also asked for nine fire hydrants. It was a good meeting. They told us homeowners along the route will have access to public water as well.”

BWD is based at 1 Lambard St, Bath. It serves about 4,000 homes and businesses in Bath, West Bath, Woolwich and East Brunswick. It also provides Wiscasset Water District all of its water. BWD obtains 100% of its water from Nequasset Lake in Woolwich, which it pumps into two tanks and about 50 miles of pipe. Its water treatment facility is near Woolwich Central School.