Work is underway to cap a landfill in Southwest Harbor responsible for polluting nearby wells. It’s a project that has been planned for nearly 20 years.
The unlined landfill contains town waste and construction debris, said Ben Worcester, the president of Worcester Associates. The landfill hasn’t been used since the 1990s. And while the waste was previously capped, this project caps construction debris.
David Madore, deputy commissioner of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, said water under the landfill will still be contaminated.
The state has provided filters to homes with nearby wells that have been contaminated. Those filters will continue to be used while efforts to extend public water lines to affected homes continue.
Worcester said his company has been working with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection for roughly two decades to get project approval.
He said funding was also an issue delaying the project, which is expected to be completed by next September.
This story appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.