MAINE PUBLIC • February 21, 2022
The federal government is opening up a first-ever research project on how much water from the Saco River's watershed and aquifers is being withdrawn for bottled water and other uses. The U.S. Geographic Survey is conducting the survey under a congressional mandate to examine water withdrawal around the country, and it will model potential effects of climate change and land use on water resources. Nikki Sekera, a member of the Saco Headwaters Alliance, says the project should help all parties that have a stake in the resource protection make better-informed decisions.