Documentary History of American Water-works

Fryeburg

Fryeburg, Maine

Fryeburg was originally settled by Europeans in the 1636, but did not settle permanently until about 1722. Fryeburg constituted the eastern portion of the town of North Fryeburg until 1849, which it broke away and became a separate town.

The Fryberg Aqueduct Corporation was incorporated in 1813 by Robert Bradley, Joshua Durgin, Abiel Farnum, Samuel Southen, John Bradley, Henry Y. B. Osgood, Oliver Griswold, Jeremiah Stickney,
and Timothy Osgood to "bring water in subterraneous pipes, to any place within said town of Fryeburgh." Although no further information on this system has been found, current Fryeburg Water Company states in its 2010 annual report that they "bought out the Fryeburg Aqueduct System that provided water to a small section of the Village.'

The Fryeburg Water Company was incorporated in 1879 by Asa O. Pike, John Locke, Wm. G. Spring, Frank A. Wiley, Harrison McNeal, David R. Hastings, Daniel W. Bradley, Edward E. Hastings, Cassius W. Pike, Albro R. Jenness, John W. Thoms and Frank Y. Bradley for the purpose of conveying to the village of Fryeburg a supply of pure water for domestic and other purposes.

A second Fryeburg Water Company was incorporatged in 1883 by D. L. Lamson, William G. Spring, F. Y. Bradley, A. R. Jenness, David R Hastings, Seth W. Fife, Otis Warren, Eben Weeks, John Weston, T. C. Shirley, Charles Tibbetts, C. H. Tibbetts, C. W. Pike, Daniel Carlton, Frank Wiley, W. C. Towle, S. J. Bradley, S. A. Page, W. Souther, E. E. Hastings, John Locke, C. R. Locke, J. Ward, S. E. Ward, T. L. Eastman, F. E. House, R. Atwood, A. B. Walker, G. Walker, J. Smith, R. Wiley, G. Morgan, W H. Tarbox "for the purpose of conveying to the village of Fryeburg and vicinity, a supply of pure water for domestic and other purposes." This company built a gravity system using water from nearby streams.

In 2005, the town of Fryeburg voted to buy the Fryeburg Water Co. and establish a publicly owned water district. The Fryeburg Water District as formed, but has not purchased the water system.

In 2014, the Maine Public Utilities Commission voted to allow Fryeburg Water Company to sell the water to Poland Spring.

Water is provided by the Fryeburg Water Company, which serves 737 customers in the Town of Fryeburg, Maine and approximately 67 customers in East Conway, New Hampshire, adjacent to its Maine service territory.

References
1813 An act to establish the Fryeburgh Aqueduct Corporation. February 24, 1813

1879 An act to supply the people of Fryeburg Village with pure water. February 28, 1879

1883 An act to supply the people of Fryeburg Village with pure water. February 26, 1883

1884 Fryeburg, from Engineering News 11:328 (June 28, 1884)

1888 "Fryeburg," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 1.

1890 "Fryeburg," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 2.

1891 "Fryeburg," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 3.

1897 "Fryeburg," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 4.

1917 An Act to Amend the Charter of the Fryeburg Water Co. by Granting Certain Additional Powers and Ratifying and Confirming Certain Acts of said Corporation. February 16, 1917. Authorized purchase of the East Conway Water Company in New Hampshire.

1969 AN ACT to Amend the Charter of the Fryeburg Water Company by Granting Certain Additional Powers and Ratifying and Confirming Certain Acts of said Corporation. April 14, 1969

2005 An Act To Create the Fryeburg Water District, May 2005, effective pending referendum.

2010 Annual Report of the Fryeburg Water Company. New Hampshire Public Service Commission
Page E-2: On September 8, 1901, the Company purchased the Charter of East Conway, New Hampshire Company which was granted by the N. H. legislature June 21, 1901.
Page E-5: In 1883 the Fryeburg Water company was formed to provide a more complete and updated water system to Fryeburg Village. To do this, they bought out the Fryeburg Aqueduct System that provided water to a small section of the Village as well as the charter of the East Conway Water Co., which had a good source of supply and customers in East Conway, New Hampshire.

2014 Maine regulators allow sale of town’s water to bottler of Poland Spring, Portland Press Herald, October 23, 2014