Bath Screening Jan. 29 to Spotlight Aging Sewers and $24.6M Upgrade

A film screening at Union + Co. on Jan. 29 will turn local attention to Bath’s aging combined stormwater and wastewater system and the $24.6 million bond voters approved in 2023 to fix it. The documentary “Unless Something Goes Terribly Wrong” will be followed by a question-and-answer session featuring Bath’s wastewater superintendent and plant operators.

Bath’s system includes many pipes more than 50 years old, with some lines exceeding 100 years. Those aging conduits contribute to combined sewer overflows during heavy rains, sending mixed stormwater and sewage into the Kennebec River. The city’s upgrade plan targets the most vulnerable infrastructure with pipe replacements, pump station improvements, and enhancements at the wastewater treatment plant.

Specific projects already on the drawing board include upsizing 18-inch sewer mains to 36-inch lines in the Harward Street sewer shed and installing larger pumps at the Commercial Street pump station. City officials say those measures are designed to reduce combined sewer overflows to the Kennebec River and increase capacity during storm events. The bond approved in 2023 funds design, construction, and related upgrades across the system.

For Bath residents, the stakes are practical and immediate. Reducing overflows can improve river water quality for recreation and fisheries, limit public-health risks after heavy storms, and reduce the likelihood of sewer backups into basements and low-lying properties. Work on Harward Street and at the Commercial Street pump station will also mean construction activity in familiar neighborhoods, with short-term impacts on traffic, parking, and street access as crews replace pipes and install new equipment.

The Jan. 29 screening and Q&A offer a rare chance for residents to hear from the people who run Bath’s wastewater operations and to see the story of Maine’s broader wastewater challenges. The documentary frames local problems in a statewide context, helping viewers understand why long-neglected pipes suddenly matter to property owners, waterfront businesses, and anyone who uses the Kennebec River.

Attendance at the screening will give residents direct access to the wastewater superintendent and operators to ask about timelines, neighborhood disruptions, and what the upgrades will mean for day-to-day life in Bath. As construction moves from planning into the field, residents should expect visible work on Harward Street and at Commercial Street and follow city updates for schedules and traffic advisories.

What comes next is practical: upcoming construction, staged work funded by the $24.6 million bond, and ongoing efforts to cut overflows and bring Bath’s sewer system into the 21st century. The Jan. 29 screening is a good first step for anyone who wants to learn how those fixes will affect the city’s streets, riverfront, and everyday life.