In celebration of the completed design and in recognition of the importance of this project to the Kezar Falls community, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held yesterday at the newly online Kezar Falls Water Treatment Facility. The facility, which provides drinking water to 400 customers, represents a $4.6 million investment in local water infrastructure.
About the Project
The Maine Water Company’s (MWC) Kezar Falls Division’s drinking water supply is sourced from two new gravel-packed groundwater wells located in Kezar Falls. Like many long-serving water supplies across New England, the original treatment facility—after decades of modifications—was well beyond its design life and required replacement to maintain the safety, resiliency, and operational reliability of the system. To support long-term system needs and improve water quality, MWC developed two replacement wells located strategically on adjacent property. With the addition of the new source, MWC sought a consolidated treatment approach intended to modernize infrastructure, introduce redundancy, and establish capacity for future demand. To this end, MWC hired Wright-Pierce to provide design and hydrogeological services for this important project.
Led by Water Regional Group Leader Dan Flaig, the proposed project included construction of a new treatment facility on MWC-owned property. The new system is designed to treat water from two new wells. As with other accelerated projects completed under challenging conditions—such as Burlington’s PFAS Water Treatment Plant, where design was compressed to under four months due to regulatory urgency—the Kezar Falls project was structured around efficiency, clarity of scope, and early identification of key design components.
As part of the 360,000-gallon-per-day water treatment plant design project, we oversaw the topographic survey of the MWC-owned parcel; oversaw geotechnical investigations to allow for the design of the treatment facility foundation; designed new pumps for the wells; and supported local permitting efforts. The finished treatment plant incorporated a building design consistent with the character of the abutting residential neighborhood. The project also included civil site design of a gravel driveway; an exterior building with an emergency backup power generator; and instrumentation designed to match MWC’s existing SCADA and telemetry system.
Project Impact
This project represents a critical investment in MWC’s water supply infrastructure. By integrating a new well source with upgraded treatment capabilities and modernized building systems, MWC will enhance source reliability, improve operational flexibility, and position the system for future regulatory and capacity needs. The proposed facility—with its emphasis on resilient design and compatibility with MWC’s operational standards—will support MWC’s commitment to delivering safe, high-quality drinking water to the Kezar Falls community for decades to come.
As Dan said, “This project was an important investment by Maine Water Company in the community of Kezar Falls. Working with Maine Water, we were able to leverage $1.2 million in grant funding and a low-interest loan through the drinking water state revolving fund (SRF) program to deliver this project cost effectively to the community. I’m really proud of our team’s collaboration with Maine Water’s engineers and operations team and with our ability to tailor our design to meet Maine Water-specific operational needs. “
To learn how we can help your community meet its drinking water needs, reach out to Wright-Pierce today.