Woodland residents allege potato waste turned their water orange
WOODLAND, Maine — Maine agricultural officers are investigating whether or not a Woodland Choose Board member allowed fertilizer to be unfold too near neighboring properties, allegedly tainting residents’ water provides.
Diane Stubbs and Merton and Sharon Pete allege that Thomas Drew, who owns a dairy farm on Woodland Heart Street and serves on the small Aroostook County city’s Choose Board, allowed the Washburn-based firm Penobscot McCrum to dump potato waste from its processing plant onto Drew’s property on Aug. 18.
Stubbs and the Petes declare that the potato waste crossed over to their properties on Langley Street and obtained into their properly techniques, turning the water orange and making it unsafe to drink.
Stubbs has lived in Woodland for 56 years whereas the Petes have been on the town almost 70 years. Each stated they by no means had water contamination points till Aug. 18.
“The water within the flush had turned orange, and that’s after I stopped utilizing the water,” Stubbs stated. “I didn’t dare drink it due to the scent. It smelled like potatoes rotting.”
Since then, Stubbs and her neighbors, the Petes, have been shopping for bottled water for ingesting and cooking, Stubbs stated.
The properly techniques at each Stubbs and the Petes’ properties later examined optimistic for dangerous substances, together with E. coli and manganese, Merton Pete stated. Now, the Petes might want to set up a $4,000 filtration system to have clear water once more. Stubbs is uncertain if she’s going to be capable of afford that kind of answer.
“I’m a widow and a senior citizen on a set revenue,” Stubbs stated.
After talking with native officers with Maine’s Division of Environmental Safety, Stubbs and the Petes have been directed to the Maine Division of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, which regulates the usage of fertilizers, together with potato processing waste, on farms.
State agriculture officers declined to touch upon the allegations towards Drew as a result of an investigation is ongoing, stated Jim Britt, the division’s director of communications.
Stubbs and the Petes spoke to the Choose Board on Tuesday, hoping to convey up their considerations with Drew for the primary time. Drew recused himself from that dialog, citing a possible battle of curiosity as a result of the matter entails his farm.
On Thursday, Drew declined to touch upon what occurred on Aug. 18 however stated that he has not spoken with Stubbs or the Petes about their allegations.
“I definitely wouldn’t wish to be liable for destroying anybody’s properly,” Drew stated. “I don’t suppose I can say extra till all of the info come to gentle.”
