Poland Spring water pumping operations in Denmark, Maine, have drawn intense public scrutiny amid back-to-back droughts that have left local wells dry and water levels at Long Pond at their lowest point in decades. Property owners dependent on the pond and nearby aquifers are pressing town officials to intervene, using the pending renewal of the company’s water extraction permit to demand answers or force extraction cutbacks.
Historically recognized as a water-rich state with abundant annual rainfall, Maine grants landowners sweeping rights to groundwater while maintaining additional regulations for large-scale commercial extraction. While past community concerns centered primarily on whether local towns received a fair financial deal from bottled water operations, persistent drought conditions have shifted the focus squarely toward environmental impacts and the potential depletion of local water bodies and residential wells.
Under its current municipal permit, Poland Spring is authorized to withdraw up to 105 million gallons of water annually from an aquifer in Denmark that feeds a local spring, though historical pumping volumes are typically much lower. Company representatives maintain that groundwater levels have remained stable since operations began in 2010, and assert that monitoring data shows no evidence of withdrawals affecting private wells or Long Pond.
Community Concerns and Environmental Strain at Long Pond
The debate has intensified around Long Pond, a body of water ringed by approximately 40 properties, where longtime residents report unprecedented low water levels. While swimming remains possible, shoreline docks now sit well above the receding water line, aquatic plants are drying out along the banks, and the typical summer chorus of bullfrog calls has notably quieted.
Homeowners along the waterfront report that residential wells are running low or failing entirely. Although the town of Denmark has logged only two official complaints regarding well levels, neighborhood tallies indicate roughly six households experiencing water supply failures. For 76-year-old resident Denise Eldridge, whose well near Long Pond dropped to just three inches of water—enough only to flush a toilet—the situation has forced her and her husband to abandon their vacation home for months. Facing an estimated $20,000 cost to drill a new well from her retirement savings, Eldridge declined an offer from Poland Spring to deliver bottled water and assist with well issues, stating she did not want financial intervention from the corporation.
Similarly, local residents Tara and David Scholder discovered their well producing dirty brown-gray water in August, forcing them to rely on bottled water for drinking, disposable paper goods for meals, and neighbors’ homes for showers. David Scholder asked.
Poland Spring Defends Extraction Impact on Long Pond
Poland Spring representatives defend their operations by pointing to regional geography and hydrology. Dubois stated that pump tests have consistently shown no measurable impact on Long Pond during periods of heavy withdrawal or severe drought, noting that permitted extraction levels represent a minor fraction of the total precipitation falling across the 3,400-acre watershed.
The company emphasizes that all monitoring data is gathered through transparent protocols involving both a licensed geologist contracted by Poland Spring and oversight figures including the town’s own hydrogeologist and code enforcement officer. Everything we do in Denmark is transparent,
Dubois said. We monitor, report, and share our data openly, and all of our monitoring data is public.
While Poland Spring does not pay direct compensation to the town for the water it extracts, it contributes approximately $30,000 annually in property taxes alongside significant community donations, including more than $250,000 in recent years toward local fire equipment, ballpark lighting, and civic celebrations.
Poland Spring Lobbies Against State Water Extraction Caps
The ongoing friction in Denmark mirrors broader statewide tensions surrounding large-scale water extraction involving Poland Spring, which operates extraction sites across nine Maine municipalities under parent company Primo Brands. In 2024, the corporation successfully lobbied against state legislation that sought to cap commercial water extraction contracts at 10 years. In previous years, public mobilization also prompted the company to withdraw a drought-era request to double water withdrawals from a well in Hollis.
The Denmark Select Board is conducting an independent review alongside the town’s hydrogeologist. Select Board Chair Andrew Kruczek acknowledged the heavy public sentiment surrounding the process, noting that officials are actively hearing arguments from both concerned residents and company representatives.
