System Facts

Communities Served: Waterville, Winslow, Fairfield, Vassalboro, Benton (water also sold to Maine Water Company in Oakland)

Population Served: 22,500

Ownership: Consumer owned/quasi-municipal

Personnel: 28

Cost to customer per 100 cubic feet (748 gallons): $2.29 (as of 2026)

Price per gallon: $0.0031 (as of 2026)

Funding Sources for Operations: User fees though rates

Fiscal year: January 1 to December 31

Total water revenues: $8 million (2026)

Number of pumping stations: 4

Number of water storage facilities: 3

Number of hydrants: 649

Number of active services: 8,800

Miles of main: 172

Sizes of main: 2″ – 36″

Storage facility capacity: 12.9 million gallons total

2nd Rangeway Tank: 0.90 million gallons – Steel 

Ridge Road Reservoir Tanks (2): 6.0 million gallons each – Concrete

Raw Water Source: China Lake

China Lake capacity: 31.7 billion gallons

China Lake surface area: 6.1 square miles

China Lake watershed: 27 square miles

China Lake maximum and average depths: 28 meters (92 feet) and 8 meters (25 feet), respectively 

China Lake annual flushing rate:  64% 

Average yearly precipitation: 43 inches

Average yearly water production: 1 billion gallons 

Average daily water production: 3 million gallons per day 

Treatment plant operations began: August 1993

Chemicals used: Aluminum sulfate; Cationic polymer; Sodium hypochlorite; Hydrofluorosilicic acid; Ortho-polyphosphate; Sodium hydroxide 

Clarification process: Upflow – solids – contact

Filtration process: Conventional high rate

Filter media: Granular activated carbon, Sand

Disinfectant: Sodium Hypochlorite

Disinfection application: Post filtration

Residuals collection method:  Recycle lagoon

Residual dewatering method:  Air dry and freeze/thaw

Residual disposal method: Landfill