The Portland Water District on Thursday celebrated with state and local officials the completion of a $12 million project to further protect Sebago Lake drinking water from possible contaminations, according to a press release.

“In 2009, the Board of Trustees voted to begin the planning process for this improvement,” Portland Water District Board of Trustees Guy Cote remarked at the commissioning ceremony. “Ozone and UV water treatment together will provide multiple barriers of protection from possible harmful pathogens, ensuring Greater Portland clean, safe, tap water.”

The project installed a new ultraviolet light disinfection process to comply with federal mandates requiring surface water suppliers to further treat for possible pathogens, mainly cryptosporidium. New federal rules required 14,000 public water systems that use surface water or sources under direct influence of surface water to install additional disinfection to further treat for possible pathogens, mainly cryptosporidium.

The project also replaced a 20-year-old complex and energy-intensive ozone treatment system with new technologies.

The design incorporated a new UV system into the existing Sebago Lake Water Treatment Facility in Standish allowing the district to receive a $300,000 competitive grant from the Efficiency Maine Trust Competitive Program. As a result of the energy-efficient upgrades, an annual electricity cost savings of $150,000 is expected.

For more information check out the following links:

Click to access UVFact%20Sheet.pdf