The state's Drinking Water Program agrees with the findings of a previous study that the Lake Auburn Watershed boundary can be redrawn smaller.
Mike Broadbent, superintendent of the Lake Auburn Water District, says if the Board of Trustees approves the new boundary, it would remove about 80 acres from the 9,700 acre watershed, which could then be rezoned.
"Right now it's an open gravel pit," Broadbent says. "It's really not benefiting the lake the way it is right now. Even though it's out of the watershed, it is very close to the lake, so a responsible redevelopment of that property would be very beneficial."
The city of Auburn wants to shrink the watershed boundary even further to allow a housing development. That sparked a lawsuit by the city of Lewiston over concerns about degraded water quality. Lake Auburn provides drinking water for the two cities, and is one of the few water systems in the U.S. that doesn't require filtration because of its quality.
In its review, Maine's Drinking Water Program concluded more research is needed to determine whether the watershed boundary can be redrawn even closer to the lake.
Auburn Water Trustees will consider the state's findings at their next meeting on Sept. 20.
