Water Source and Treatment

Nequasset Lake

For over 100 years, the 21-square-mile watershed of Nequasset Lake has been Bath Water District’s source of supply.  The majority of Nequasset watershed lies in the Town of Woolwich , but extends into the neighboring towns of Dresden and Wiscasset. High-quality drinking water supplies are hard to find in coastal Maine .  As the only major lake in the area, Nequasset Lake is relied upon to provide both drinking water and recreational activities to the region. 

Protecting Our Source

BWD owns approximately 370 acres of watershed land, only a small fraction of the 21 square miles that make up the entire watershed. BWD does, however, own roughly seventy percent of the shoreline around the lake and restricts activities that could potentially contaminate the water within this zone.  BWD participates in frequent lake and foot patrols within the watershed. Swimming is prohibited, except at the south end of the lake near the state boat launch area.  The use of boats with motors larger than 10 hp is also forbidden.

The Treatment Process

Water flows from Nequasset Lake into BWD's treatment plant, where multiple treatment processes, including filtration and disinfection, are used to remove particles and microorganisms. The Microfloc filtration system was designed specifically for the water characteristics of Nequasset Lake. For more information about the treatment process, read BWD's 2004 Consumer Confidence Report.