Biddeford & Saco Water Company

The Latest Biddeford & Saco Water News Updated May 14, 2009 Welcome to our web site. The site was created as an informational, educational, and historical tool for our customers and the general population. We intend to regularly update this page. Please let us know what you like about the site, what you don’t like, and what’s missing. Hillview Avenue Water Main Installation Work on the installation of a new transmission main in Hillview Avenue began earlier this week. Approximately 800 feet of 12-in. main extending northerly from the point where the new main crosses Hillview Avenue through the intersection of Hillview and Jeffrey Avenues will be installed over the next few weeks. This work is part of a long-term phased program; completion of each phase will help enhance area fire flows and stabilize pressures during periods of peak usage. If all goes as now planned, work on this phase of the project should be completed before June1. 2008 Water Quality Report Now Available Like to know what’s in your drinking water? Or what’s not in your water? Our 2008 Water Quality Reports will tell you. The 2008 report is now being mailed to all of our customers and is already available for viewing online here on our website in the ‘water information’ section through this link 2008 Water Quality Report. If you would like to have a hard copy of our 2008 report, or any of our reports from prior years, simply call our office at 282-1543, and we will promptly respond. Busy Times for our Service People Every year in the spring and the fall, our service people are kept extremely busy either turning on or off the water service for our seasonal customers, all while keeping up with their ongoing routine service calls. Their appointment calendars are usually very full beginning in mid-April until late May, and then again beginning just after Labor Day until mid-October. In order to schedule an appointment at a time that is most convenient for you during either of these time periods, please call our office as far in advance as possible. We will do our best to accommodate you. Rate Adjustment Approved by Maine PUC The Maine Public Utilities Commission has approved a rate increase for the Biddeford & Saco Water Company effective August 29, 2008. The percentage increase for most customer classes will be slightly more than three percent. For residential customers, this will amount to about $7.50 per year, or approximately two cents per day. This is the final step increase authorized under our 2007 rate case. Prior to the completion of our 2007 rate case, our rates had been stable for more than four years. Increased energy costs, and the resulting inflationary pressures were the main driving force behind the need for the increase. Unfortunately, if current trends continue, it is likely that we will be forced to adjust rates more often going forward than we have in the past. We Now Offer Direct Payment! We are pleased to offer a new service - The Direct Payment Plan. Now you can have your payment made automatically from your checking or savings account. There is no extra charge to become part of the program. You will still receive a bill showing the amount that you owe, and when it will be withdrawn from your account, which will be at least three weeks after the billing date. If you have a question or concern with your bill, simply call us when you receive the bill to discuss. If you would like to take advantage of this free new service, either send us an email at info@biddefordsacowater.com or give us a call at (207) 282-1543 and ask us to send you a blank authorization form. New Vehicles for Meter Readers You may notice our meter readers in your neighborhood driving a small car instead of the more traditional little blue or red pickup truck. The new cars will have our water drop decals on the doors to identify them, and are considerably more fuel efficient than the pickups. We have purchased one car already, a light blue Chevrolet Aveo, and expect to put a second car on the road later this year. New Saco River & Adjacent Wetland Crossing We recently completed the installation of a new transmission main across the Saco River. The new main parallels an existing main, and enhances the reliability of our system by providing back-up for this critical and difficult to repair pipe. In order to minimize the environmental impact of construction, the new main was installed using directional drilling techniques, which only required excavation at the start and end of the new main. A hole was bored between the start and end points; the new pipe was then pulled into place. And there’s more good news, installation of the second parallel transmission main is now being continued from the end of the new Saco River crossing main across a wetland area immediately adjacent to the River. The wetland crossing is being completed using construction techniques similar to those used to complete the river crossing. The funds necessary for both projects were made available through a state revolving loan fund, which was set up to provide money for such projects at a low interest rate. Water Conservation We have a supply of conservation kits that can help reduce water use in your home. The kits include a low flow showerhead, two faucet aerators, and a weir that can be placed to reduce the amount of water used each time a toilet is flushed. The cost for each kit picked up in our office is eight dollars ($8.00). If you can’t come to our office, we would be glad to mail one or more kit(s) out to you if; postage and handling costs are four dollars for the first kit and one dollar for each additional kit in the same request. Simply send us a check for the number of kits you want and we will mail them along to you. Saco River Watershed Monitoring Program A few years ago, the Saco River Corridor Commission initiated a water quality monitoring program. For the last few open water seasons, volunteers have monitored various water quality parameters at over twenty locations along the Saco, Ossipee, and Little Ossipee Rivers. Each of these three rivers is located within the Saco River Basin. The basin covers an area of 1,700 square miles in total. The data gathered through this process will establish a water quality baseline for the entire watershed. If anyone is interested in becoming a volunteer and participating in the valuable program, please contact the Saco River Corridor Commission.