Poland Spring considers York County water source

PORTLAND – Poland Spring’s search for new sources of water to supply its fast-growing bottling operations has taken it to the York County town of Shapleigh.

The company is eyeing 150 acres of town-owned land as a possible site to extract water for its plant in Hollis. If a deal is reached, Poland Spring would pay the town a per-gallon fee for water drawn from the site.

In recent years, the company has encountered opposition to its expansion plans in Fryeburg and other communities. Concerns have focused on the sustainability of local groundwater supplies as well as increased truck traffic on rural roads.

Poland Spring has scheduled a March 1 informational meeting in Shapleigh to spell out its intentions. The company would need to gain approval in a townwide vote in order to allow Poland Spring to run tests on whether the water supplies at the site are suitable for its needs.

The issue could be voted on at a special town meeting sometime after March or be placed on the ballot in November.

Poland Spring is seeking new water sources to sustain future growth, said Mark Dubois, its natural resources manager. The Hollis bottling plant was recently expanded and is one of the largest in the world, while a newly built plant in Kingfield is scheduled to open in the fall.

Poland Spring extracts water from nine locations in Maine. The company examines more than 100 potential new sources of water each year, but only a few reach the stage where it requests permission to test the aquifer.