# Maine LD 1747: An Act to Repeal and Replace the Charter of the Yarmouth Water District Maine LD 1747, An Act to Repeal and Replace the Charter of the Yarmouth Water District, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Arthur Bell (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-06-09 (Signed by Governor, ACTPS Chapter 8); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1747-132 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Maine LD 1747 - State: Maine - Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) - Title: An Act to Repeal and Replace the Charter of the Yarmouth Water District - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-04-22 - Last action: 2025-06-09, Signed by Governor, ACTPS Chapter 8 - Sponsor: Arthur Bell (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: WATER DISTRICTS, WATER DISTRICTS - CHARTER CHANGES - Touches household money: yes - Economic provisions PRIA read: 6 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - New Yarmouth area water district: benefit, medium. The law repeals the old charter and creates the Yarmouth Water District for Yarmouth and North Yarmouth. The district supplies and protects drinking water for homes, farms, businesses, and towns. Voters in both towns must hold elections within two years. The charter takes full effect once a majorit… - Water rates, debt, and liens: mixed, medium. You must pay uniform water rates set by the board under Maine law. Rates must cover operations and debt without extra town subsidies, and rate money can pay for operations, renewals, and interest when not bond‑funded. Trustees can borrow and issue bonds without a district‑wide vote, including to re… - Water sources and build-out powers: mixed, medium. The district can draw water from the Royal River and from springs, ponds, brooks, and aquifers in Yarmouth and North Yarmouth. Using sources in New Gloucester needs approval from a joint body with equal members from both sides. The district can build wells, plants, dams, and pipes, and must leave a… - Service area and wholesale rules: mixed, low. The district cannot serve areas that another water utility already serves or is authorized to serve unless the Maine Public Utilities Commission agrees. The district can sell water to other utilities, including for resale, as allowed by the Commission. - How the water board runs: mixed, low. A five‑member board runs the district, with seats adjusted after each census to match each town’s share of metered services; each town keeps at least one seat. Trustees are elected by secret ballot under municipal rules; short vacancies under 15 months are filled by the town. Trustees pick officers… - Water assets and tax status: mixed, low. The law confirms who owns the local water system. Yarmouth’s water assets vested in the district on March 22, 1923. North Yarmouth’s water assets transferred on August 7, 1990. The district takes over valid water‑supply contracts from Yarmouth and the former North Yarmouth Water District. The distr… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Arthur Bell (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Anne Graham (Democratic), House ## Actions (7) - 2025-06-09: Signed by Governor, ACTPS Chapter 8 - 2025-06-02: PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-05-29: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-05-28: Report READ and ACCEPTED, in concurrence.READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (H-279) READ and ADOPTED, in concurrence.Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (H-279), in concurrence.Ordered sent down forthwith. (Senate) - 2025-05-27: CONSENT CALENDAR - FIRST DAYUnder suspension of the rules CONSENT CALENDAR - SECOND DAY.The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-279).Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-04-22: The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on ENERGY, UTILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY in concurrence (Senate) - 2025-04-22: Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology suggested and ordered printed. The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on ENERGY, UTILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY.Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) ## Bill text - Amendment C-A (H-279), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1165&item=2&snum=132) - Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1165&item=3&snum=132) - Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1165&item=1&snum=132) ## Related bills - LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program (failed) - LD 1665: An Act to Provide Property Tax Relief to Maine Families (failed) - LD 1872: An Act to Reinvest in the Pension Funds of the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (failed) - LD 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan for Retirement (failed) - LD 1611: An Act to Decrease the Retirement Contributions Required for Teachers and State Employees (failed) - LD 1294: An Act to Expand the Dependent Exemption Tax Credit (failed) ## Sources - [Amendment C-A (H-279), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1165&item=2&snum=132) - [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1165&item=3&snum=132) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1165&item=1&snum=132) ## Related - [LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1522-132) - [LD 1665: An Act to Provide Property Tax Relief to Maine Families](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1665-132) - [LD 1872: An Act to Reinvest in the Pension Funds of the Maine Public Employees Retiremen…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1872-132) - [LD 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD2067-132) - [LD 1611: An Act to Decrease the Retirement Contributions Required for Teachers and State…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1611-132) - [LD 1294: An Act to Expand the Dependent Exemption Tax Credit](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1294-132) - [Maine bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maine/bills) - [Maine state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maine) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1747-132 (as of 2026-10-17).