Wellhead ordinance nearly complete Houlton officials seek to protect land around major town water source

HOULTON – A draft wellhead protection ordinance that has been revised by the planning board for more than a month is nearly complete, according to officials at a meeting Tuesday evening.

Don Keiser, the town’s grant writer and planning administrator, said at the meeting that he would make final revisions to the document on Wednesday before sending it to town attorney Dan Nelson for review.

Pending Nelson’s approval, the board expects to adopt the final draft before sending it to the Town Council, according to Keiser.

The ordinance is intended to further protect land around the McPartland Wells, a major water source in Houlton. Homeowners in the Cary’s Mills area have been working with both the town and the Houlton Water Co. to protect the zone, due to a number of septic systems in the area that potentially could threaten the wells.

According to records, the town had to shut down the Burleigh Well, another water source, in the 1970s after the potential for contamination was discovered.

Along with the septic systems, a gravel pit in the area owned by Morris Cote is also of concern to the board. Some members have expressed apprehension about trucks that use the pit, fearing a potential for contamination from equipment damage or fluid leaks.

Cote and John Clark, general manager of the water company, were invited to Tuesday evening’s meeting, Code Enforcement Officer Wade Hanson told the board. Both Clark and Cote were unable to attend, according to Hanson.

“Mr. Cote is interested in the process,” Hanson said. “He is in favor of the wellhead protection ordinance, and he needs to be informed of what he can do with his property. He understands the need to protect the water, but he also has concerns about his property.”

Hanson said that he had scheduled a meeting with Cote. Cote was unavailable for comment Wednesday.

The group made a few minor revisions to the document at the meeting before proclaiming their approval for the draft to go to Nelson.

“I know these are just little things,” Keiser said of the revisions, “but the more times we work at it, the better product we get.”