What is LAWPC?

In 1993, the Environmental Protection Agency determined that water from Lake Auburn met all the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act, Surface Water Treatment Rule. This allowed Auburn Water District and Lewiston Water Division to be exempted from the filtration requirement of the Rule. This exemption was granted due to the exceptional water quality of Lake Auburn and the efforts to protect it. To ensure Lake Auburn remains as the source of drinking water for both cities, the Lake Auburn Watershed Protection Commission was formed in mutual agreement with Auburn Water District and the City of Lewiston Water Division.

Who is LAWPC?

The Lake Auburn Watershed Protection Commission is an nine member board consisting of three members of the board appointed by the trustees of the Auburn Water District, three appointed by the City of Lewiston City Council, one appointed by the town of Turner, one appointed by the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments. The towns of Hebron, Minot, and Buckfield also have a shared appointment to the Commission but have not chosen to be represented on this Commission at this time. The Auburn Water District and the Lewiston Water Division provide professional staff to the LAWPC Board. The Commission owns approximately 1600 acres in the 9792 acre watershed of Lake Auburn.

What is LAWPC responsible for?

The Commission’s tasks are as follows:

    • a. To maintain safe and healthful environmental conditions within the Lake Auburn Watershed
    • b. To prevent and control water pollution
    • c. To protect and maintain the present quality and volume of potable water supplied from the Lake Auburn Watershed
    • d. To review current and allowable land uses in the entire Watershed area and any existing regulations, ordinances, or policies with respect there to
    • e. To review proposed rules, ordinances, regulations, and policies to be developed in the future
    • f. To adopt and implement Watershed protection, management, and restoration projects, plans, and programs
    • g. To act on behalf of the Auburn Water District and Lewiston Water Division in implementing ordinances, rules, regulations, programs and policies
    • h. To take and hold title to land within the Watershed solely for Watershed protection purposes
    • i. To receive and administer funds from many sources to carry out its purposes
    • j. To take, prosecute, and resolve legal actions to enforce the provisions of laws and regulations relating to watershed and drinking water protection

The responsibility of the LAWPC to protect the water quality of Lake Auburn