How does Denmark benefit from a permitted Poland Spring source in town?

Poland Spring contributes significant new tax revenue to Denmark, runs a responsible business, and protects the environment. We are committed to being a good neighbor, contributing to local causes and organizations, and always respecting local control. In Denmark, Poland Spring:

• Provides $26,000 in annual new tax revenue (a significant increase over previous landowners)
• Is protecting 400 acres of land from development
• Runs a clean, low impact business with no harm to wells or watershed
• Conducts in-depth study of the local aquifer and water resources
• Monitors local water resource monthly
• Collects data that are shared with the town and available to the public at Denmark Town Hall
• Runs a local business that responds to community needs, causes, and organizations

Will Poland Spring water withdrawals in Denmark cause wells to dry up?

No. Our approach to spring water sources is all about protection and sustainability of Maine’s abundant water resources. We monitor our spring sources regularly, report our findings publicly, and always manage for sustainability.

Poland Spring operates under strict state and local regulatory controls enforced by Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection and verified by independent scientists and water experts. We have nothing to gain and everything to lose by overusing water resources.

For the past four years, Poland Spring has been monitoring the aquifer extensively and reporting on stream flow, surface water, and spring flow information, all of which is shared with the Town of Denmark. In addition to our own monitoring locations, we also monitor eleven domestic wells that surround the spring water site, taking measurements every four hours to ensure they are protected. This extensive monitoring program is overseen by a professional geologist hired by the Town, helping safeguard neighboring wells and the local watershed.  We will continue this monitoring process for as long as we operate at the site.

 

Why is a pipeline included in this project?

The spring water from this site will flow by underground pipeline to a spring water station on Route 302 in East Fryeburg. The water is then transported and bottled at a Poland Spring bottling facility. Poland Spring operates three bottling facilities in Maine and employs nearly 800 full-time and seasonal people. Poland Spring chose the location in East Fryeburg to build a water station because the 60 acre site protects more land and is easily accessible to Route 302 – a state designated heavy haul truck route. Following a thorough review by local and state authorities, the water station will be operational in 2010.

 

How does the project impact Denmark and the surrounding area?

In Denmark, our operation is self-contained and consists of two spring houses, an underground pipeline, a spring water station along RT 302, and open land. Poland Spring will require virtually no Town of Denmark services. In Fryeburg, our operations include a spring water station water station, a 23,000 water silo, and a driveway, an entrance gate, and fencing around the water station. The total project in Denmark and East Fryeburg represents about $4.1 million dollars of investment in the area. The project helps create and maintain jobs, especially during construction.

The total project is protecting approximately 1,000 acres of land in Fryeburg and Denmark, most of which remains accessible to the public. Moreover, Poland Spring is constantly looking for new ways to form lasting partnerships with the communities where it operates. Since 2000, Poland Spring has donated more than $2.5 million to local communities and causes.

 

Poland Spring trucks run from the spring site in Denmark?

No. Spring water will be piped to the water station on Route 302 in Fryeburg. Water tankers will fill up there and transport water to our bottling plants.

Poland Spring prides itself on the safety record of its biodiesel tanker fleet, the largest in Maine. We monitor our fleet with an on-board computer that measures speed, acceleration, idling and other driving conditions in real time. Our drivers are required to obey posted speeds, be courteous and keep their trucks quiet (no engine brakes, for example), and we enforce these policies very strictly.

 

Why does Poland Spring need another spring source?

By utilizing an abundant, renewable resource, Poland Spring has created nearly 800 good-paying jobs in Maine. New spring sources allow the business to grow, creating the potential for additional jobs and investments in the state and the region.