BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 24, 2024
For decades, a well that was first drilled in the 1970s provided water to residents of the Merritt House condo complex in Harpswell. But that changed about seven years ago, when saltwater from nearby Casco Bay started entering the supply. Residents found that the water coming out of their taps had a funny taste, and minerals built up in their dishwashers and other appliances. Now, Merritt House residents must collectively pay around $500 per week to get water delivered. Once dense ocean water enters the fractures in the bedrock that provides drinking water for many residents of peninsulas and islands along Maine’s coast, it’s almost impossible to remove. Seasonal residents who are moving in may not understand the unique stress that they can place on the groundwater, when they may come from bigger communities with seemingly endless water supplies.