Hearing fellow Wiscasset villager Shannon Babcock read a wiscasset.gov excerpt about the village's architectural significance, Amanda Dawnrich commented, "So let's stick a sewage treatment plant right in the middle. That's a genius idea."

Neither woman wants the plant moved there, but that so far is the plan as the town continues raising funds for a project that stemmed from Maine Department of Environmental Protection's favoring a move instead of a wall for sea level rise; the plant would move from 69 Water St. and the one-time "Cow Island," to where public works is, off Hodge Street; and public works would move to the transfer station property. 

Dawnrich, Babcock and three other villagers met with Wiscasset Newspaper Aug. 29, ahead of those residents' addressing selectmen Tuesday night, Sept. 2. Due to the print edition's publishing schedule, look for the board meeting's outcome at wiscassetnewspaper.com and in the Sept. 11 print edition. Those interviewed figure a couple dozen residents, including them, will turn out for the agenda item.

The group has started https://sites.google.com/view/relocatingwiscassetsewer and has put out or shared nine or so printed lawn signs that say "Protect Our Neighborhood! NO Sewer Treatment Plant Here, or "sewage" instead of sewer; the signs mistakenly said water treatment plant, so residents revised them by crossing out or covering the "water" part. Participants said, however, this visible fix points out a misconception people can get when they see "wastewater" instead of sewer. Babcock wondered if that helped when the question passed 1,416-832 last November. 

Given the public upset in 2023 among some residents over a would-have-been Maine Department of Health and Human Services-contracted wellness center on Hodge Street, and over the removal of Ancient Cemetery's fence in 2021 (replaced in 2022), Babcock believes the lack of public upset about the new sewer plant site is further indication, people just didn't know or understand what would be going there.

"So we can lose our mind about substance abuse treatment and the replacement of a fence. And this to me speaks to the lack of knowledge that people had about what they were voting on, because you cannot tell me that they would have been OK putting (the) plant right in this same area."

Despite multiple articles along the way in Wiscasset Newspaper and Lincoln County News, and town announcements, the property owners around the table of John Davis' home recalled their surprise to learn where the plant is planned to go, and what it is for. Jane Johnston said she learned when she read the question for last November's vote. She voted no. "Absolutely no," she said.

Davis, Babcock, Johnston, Dawnrich and Tanya Hammond are voicing historical, health, environmental and property value concerns.

A town document prepared before the November vote, and which remains posted at wiscasset.gov, maintains  aesthetic choices and other measures can make the plant be OK to put there. The document explains the public works site was "the most feasible option" among several sites considered. "(It) is close to both the river and the existing wastewater collection system, which minimizes construction costs for new main lines and pumps. Although adjacent landowners offered to sell additional property near the garage to avoid building a new one, the DEP determined that these lands were unsuitable due to wetlands and drainage issues. The plant will need to be placed where the garage currently stands.

"Several privately owned properties were also evaluated, but none of the suitable landowners were willing to sell, making the public works site the most viable option. While eminent domain remains a potential route, it is not preferred.

"The new plant can be designed to blend in aesthetically. Modern measures like enclosed sludge dewatering and air scrubbers will be implemented to prevent odor issues," the document reads.

Town Manager Dennis Simmons' report for the Sept. 2 selectmen's meeting tells the board, "Several residents have requested time with the board to discuss the relocation plans for the WWTP (wastewater treatment plant)." Simmons' report, released last week, notes one or two representatives from Olver Associates would attend via Zoom and could help answer questions. The engineering firm worked for the town on a report to the DEP and helped the town look at possible sites for the sewer plant's move.

The agenda item reads: "Special request for further discussion regarding the relocation of the WWTP." Asked via email if residents would be given that discussion time during Tuesday’s meeting, or if the agenda item meant the board will consider scheduling the discussion for a future board meeting, Simmons explained: "This is to allow residents to ask questions. There is some misinformation floating around," he added.

Responding to email questions, Planning Board Chair Karl Olson said, "There has been nothing (put in front of the planning board) on a proposed sewer plant. Based on what I have seen in other towns, I believe that the town must go through the same review process as anyone else. I am not clear on what, if any, state or federal permits might be required."

Those interviewed at Davis' house said they would like other sites considered or reconsidered, and a new town vote on a site. When voters in a special town meeting Dec. 3 nodded tapping the town's undesignated fund balance for the $353,750 local match on $4 million in outside funding won toward moving the plant to public works, Simmons explained another town vote will be held "any time we have to appropriate money. (These are) decisions that will have to be made as we go along, to know how much money we're actually going to have to put into this."

For this week's story on the emerged opposition to the site, Wiscasset Newspaper asked for and received from Simmons responses to email questions:

1. Did the town and/or Olver inform or consult with abutters to this location before the board and the voters gave it the support it has so far received?

Simmons: The selectboard board had many public meetings regarding the status of the WWTP, including a public hearing before the November 2024 referendum authorizing the move. I also produced a document explaining each article on the ballot, including the question regarding relocation. In December of 2024 there was a special open town meeting to appropriate funds as a grant match for the Maine Infrastructure Adaptation Fund to begin the funding drive for the plant relocation. Both of these meetings were posted according to state law, including notifications in the newspaper, were published, and continue to reside, on the town’s website.  As the project continues to move along it will need to go before the planning board, whose meetings are open to the public. Abutters will be notified at a certain point in that process, as well as the process for permitting through the Maine DEP.

2. Were you surprised to hear concerns being raised now (as opposed to sooner), about moving the sewer plant there?

Simmons: I am not surprised there is opposition. That said, this has been an open process, including various articles written by this newspaper and several open meetings with the engineering firm to discuss the condition of the entire system, including the relocation. 

3. Do you have any comment on their concerns about property values, or about any other concern these residents have raised on this website: https://sites.google.com/view/relocatingwiscassetsewer

Simmons: We will address their concerns at the meeting this evening and as the process proceeds. The first step toward being able to apply for funds was to pick a site. Outside of locating it next to the elementary school, this site was chosen by the engineers as the most efficient and cost-effective piece of town-owned property. Of the 2,248 people who voted on this, 63% approved of the location. If, at the end of a long design and regulatory process, this isn’t the best location, we will move on.