The Norridgewock Water District office at 90 Mercer Road, photographed Monday. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel

NORRIDGEWOCK — A crucial part of Norridgewock’s water infrastructure is set to be upgraded to improve its resiliency to flooding, thanks to a $1.05 million state grant awarded Friday.

The grant, intended to fund improvements to the Norridgewock Water District’s water main on Upper Main Street, is part of $25.2 million in grants awarded to 39 communities from the Maine Infrastructure Adaptation Fund, according to the governor’s office.

Robbie Bickford, chairman of the Norridgewock Water District’s board of trustees, said the existing water main — about 3,400 feet of pipe underneath Upper Main Street, along the Kennebec River — is at risk if the embankment fails due to flooding and severe storms.

“It’s not currently falling apart due to this embankment, but it is in imminent danger,” Bickford said Monday.

With the funding, the water district plans to move the main to the other side of the right of way, through an easement it has already received, Bickford said.

The water main is a crucial part of the water district’s infrastructure, bringing water from its wells and pumping stations to its nearly 400 customers, according to Bickford.

The quasi-municipal utility serves residences, government buildings and industrial customers in Norridgewock, and provides water for the town’s fire protection.

The water district repaired leaking from the main around the time of a major storm in December that brought historic flooding to Maine, but officials are unsure if the storm caused the damage, Bickford said.

The existing pipe was installed in the 1950s, and most pipes have a 50- to 100-year life expectancy, he said.

“If that water main were to collapse or be broken, there would be no water for the residents of Norridgewock or fire protection,” Bickford said. “It’s really our only pipeline to get water for the people of Norridgewock.”

The state grant is expected to cover most of the project’s cost.

“This kind of capital improvement is rare for us, just because of the impact on our customers,” Bickford said. “As a water district, we are owned by the ratepayers. We’re not part of the town. Any of the funding has to come from the people who use the water, so getting this grant allows us to do this project and make sure that we aren’t in a crisis.”

The water district has yet to schedule work on the project, which is subject to availability of materials and contractors, Bickford said, though he is hoping the district can begin work this construction season.

“With the risk that we’re seeing of that embankment collapsing, the sooner the better,” Bickford said.

The Maine Infrastructure Adaptation Fund, created in 2021, was funded by $60 million approved through the state supplement budget in May. That was the single largest investment in storm recovery in the state’s history, according to the governor’s office.

This most recent round of grant awards from the fund was intended to help communities recover and build more resilient infrastructure after severe storms this winter.

Projects funded in other municipalities include upgrading culverts, moving or stabilizing roads at risk of flooding and improving storm drainage infrastructure.

“We are working closely with towns and cities to take decisive action that will protect our people, our communities, and our economy from the destructive impacts of climate change,” Gov. Janet Mills said in a statement Friday. “These important awards will help communities across Maine recover from last winter’s storms and upgrade their infrastructure so that they are better prepared for the future.

“From my Administration to the Legislature to municipalities across Maine, this is truly a team effort — and a crucial one that will make the lives of Maine people better for years to come.”