CALAIS – For the first time in more than 150 years, the city will have its own water source.

In the past, the city purchased its water from neighboring St. Stephen, New Brunswick, but a change in U.S. water standards forced the city to look elsewhere for its H2O. The water was piped across at the downtown Ferry Point Bridge.

On Aug. 22, the city will open the valve on its new water source near the Calais Industrial Park and release millions of gallons of water into the city’s water system.

During the next few days, notices will be mailed alerting the public to the change and warning consumers that the new wells located north of the city will create a reverse flow of water through antique pipes. The change in direction could cause sediment to be dislodged, discoloring the water.

Although some consumers may notice a difference, city officials said, the problem is not expected to be citywide. Water from the new wells has a higher level of manganese and iron, which will have to be treated. “One thing is you are changing … the hardness of the water which is going to loosen some of [the minerals],” Assistant City Manager Jim Porter said.

To minimize the impact, Porter said, the city plans to flush its fire hydrants. “A lot of them have scale and sediment. We flush them every year … as part of our maintenance,” he said.

The new wells should provide about two-thirds of the city’s water needs. “This is a fairly good year and it may give us all the water we need,” he said. A bedrock well near Fowler Street is expected to go on line in November.

Although the city no longer will be dependent upon Canadian water, it is not planning to cut the umbilical cord with St. Stephen immediately. “We will be tied into St. Stephen until about August of next year,” Porter said.

In the notice, consumers are urged to let their tap run before use, regularly to inspect faucet aerators and water filters, and to use care in doing laundry because the higher concentrations of iron and manganese that may occur could stain clothes. A laundry additive will be available at the city building.

For more information call the Calais Water Department at 454-2760.