Water Security
in Maine
Water Security
in Maine
Water security is a major global issue and a pressing concern for societies worldwide. It is also an issue that weaves through every fabric of our lives in ways we may not even realize. Concerns surrounding water security are far-reaching and include accessing clean drinking water, finding an adequate and sustainable domestic water supply, maintaining biologically and economically productive waters, and responding to changes in water chemistry due to climate change. These were just some of the issues that came up when our group was conducting research in Maine. We had the opportunity to speak to experts and community members regarding their relationship to water, interpretations of water security, and future water-related challenges.
For the scope of our project, we chose three focus areas - lobstering and aquaculture, the blueberry industry, and the domestic water supplies for both Portland residents and the Sipayik community. Lobstering and aquaculture are important to examine how water security impacts non-human stakeholders. Wild blueberries provide an example of one way in which Maine's economy is heavily dependent on water conditions. Lastly, domestic water supplies are important to investigate as access to drinking water is a fundamental human necessity.
We hope this website can serve as an educational guidebook informing some of the larger trends in Maine's water security story while also emphasizing discrepancies between different groups and shining a light on the various ways organizations and leaders are trying to combat these water-related issues. Regardless of the current water security conditions, it was extremely encouraging to see that everyone we spoke with exemplified a strong personal incentive to work towards improved water conditions.
For this section of the educational guidebook, we look at the Gulf of Maine specifically and some of the coastal areas that are being impacted by ocean chemistry changes. The Gulf of Maine is warming at a very high rate and causing unprecedented impacts on several ecological systems, some of which the Maine population relies on socially and economically. In this section, we will talk about data collection in the gulf, fish and lobster population changes, and communication struggles between scientists and fishermen. Through this portion of our guidebook, we hope to illustrate some of the complexities of climate science in relation to water security while emphasizing the severe impacts to local communities. In doing so, we will showcase the many groups and community members who are working tirelessly to improve Maine’s preparedness to water chemistry changes and prevent future economic collapses through fishery management and community education.
For this section of the educational guidebook, we investigate the past, current, and future state of drinking water in the greater Portland area. We had the opportunity to tour the Portland Water District facilities during which we saw firsthand where Portland's drinking water comes from while learning about the water quality and treatment processes. We hope to reinforce some of the positive aspects that characterize drinking water security in Portland, namely the amazing quality and vast quantity of their drinking water supply. In addition, we discuss the potential threats to the water source and the actions being taken to maintain the water source for future years.
For this section of the educational pamphlet, we share some of the insights we were able to gain through our conversations with members of and people who work closely with the Passamaquoddy tribe. The Passamaquoddy tribe is just one of many indigenous tribes in Maine under the collective name Wabanaki. Located in the northeastern corner of Maine’s territory at Sipayik, the Passamaquoddy nation has experienced issues with clean drinking water for over 40 years. Residents and advocates have reported foul-smelling water, discolored water, and even water that burns their skin coming out of their taps. Despite still not having access to clean drinking water in many homes, we hope to highlight the different legislative and community activism efforts the tribe has taken. In addition, we express the state government's failure to support the Passamaquoddy, instead taking actions that infringe upon indigenous water and land sovereignty.
For this section of the educational pamphlet, we note the recent water-related struggles that wild blueberry farmers in Maine have faced. Wild blueberries are a major source of agricultural revenue in Maine. However, farmers have faced many challenges recently including increased summer drought, a shift in the timing of the growing and harvesting season, and difficulty with new pests. Many of Maine's local wild blueberry farmers work on small or medium size farms and dedicate their lives to the crop, making their investment very different than larger, corporate-run farms. Researchers and farmers are working together to devisine new strategies to mitigate climate impacts on wild blueberries.
For this section of the educational pamphlet, we wanted to highlight some of our experiences outside of our research. This trip was the first time someof us had been to Maine, and was a very special trip for all. We are so grateful to the Schiller Coastal Center for hosting us, as well as to all of our interviewees who were so generous with their time and knowledge. We also want to extend a special thank you to Professors Park, Williams, and Los Huertos for organizing and facilitating this clinic trip!
Throughout the different web pages, we will comment on a few main themes: communication of science, discrepancies between communities, and impact of climate change. Please keep these in mind as you read the pamphlet and see if there are any connections you can make between web pages. Thinking of all three themes together is perhaps most powerful: How are the impacts of climate change affecting communities disproportionately, and how can we communicate expected changes in a way that is digestible and helpful for these communities?
Communication of Science: We have noticed that different industries perceive scientists in very different ways. For example, the blueberry farmers we spoke with had only positive things to say about their collaboration with different research scientists while those involved in the lobster industry were much more skeptical of scientists. Why might this be? The two main differences we see between these industries are the history of collaboration success and the perceived intent of research involvement.
Discrepancies Between Communities: One of the main takeaways from our team's clinic trip experience is just how varied personal and community experiences with water security can be. This discrepancy first appeared when asking how our interviewees defined water security: Is it related to biosocial processes? Is it related to human drinking water? Is it about water quality or water quantity or both? Is it only in regard to emergency or disaster situations? Everyone we spoke to seemed to define this term in a different way, which shows the inherent complexity of the term. We saw the experiential discrepancy in how people relate to water security in their everyday lives when comparing the residents of Portland to the indigenous community living in Sipayik.
Impact of Climate Change: As one might expect, there are many climate change-induced effects impacting water security that can be observed. We point some of these out: changes in ocean pH, location and quantity of different aquaculture species, and timing of growing seasons for wild blueberries. However, there are also instances in which an issue has existed for a while but is being exacerbated by climate change. For example, it seems that many people involved in both the blueberry and lobster industries have been struggling for years up to this point, but their future prosperity relies heavily on how devasting of an impact climate change will have in the upcoming years.