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Passamaquoddy Pleasant Point Reservation ( Maliseet-Passamaquoddy: ''Sipayik'') is one of two reservations of the federally recognized
Passamaquoddy The Passamaquoddy ( Maliseet-Passamaquoddy: ''Peskotomuhkati'') are a Native American/First Nations people who live in northeastern North America. Their traditional homeland, Peskotomuhkatik'','' straddles the Canadian province of New Brunswick ...
tribe in
Washington County, Maine Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. As of the 2010 census, its population was 31,095, making it the third-least populous county in Maine. Its county seat is Machias. The county was established on June 25, 1789. ...
,
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. The population was 692 as of the 2020 census. The Passamaquoddy also reside on the Indian Township Reservation.


Geography

Sipayik is located near the
Canada–United States border The border between Canada and the United States is the longest international border in the world. The terrestrial boundary (including boundaries in the Great Lakes, Atlantic, and Pacific coasts) is long. The land border has two sections: Can ...
in Washington County, Maine on a
peninsula A peninsula (; ) is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most, but not all of its borders. A peninsula is also sometimes defined as a piece of land bordered by water on three of its sides. Peninsulas exist on all ...
with the Little River and
Passamaquoddy Bay Passamaquoddy Bay (french: Baie de Passamaquoddy) is an inlet of the Bay of Fundy, between the U.S. state of Maine and the Canadian province of New Brunswick, at the mouth of the St. Croix River. Most of the bay lies within Canada, with its w ...
to the east and
Cobscook Bay Cobscook Bay is located in Washington County in the state of Maine. It opens into Passamaquoddy Bay, within the Bay of Fundy. Cobscook Bay is immediately south of the island city of Eastport, the main island of which (Moose Island) straddles the ...
to the west. It borders Eastport and
Perry Perry, also known as pear cider, is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented pears, traditionally the perry pear. It has been common for centuries in England, particularly in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire. It is also made ...
, and according to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, has a total area of 0.6 mi2 (1.6 km2).


Demographics

The ACS estimates 683 people and 258 households at Sipayik in 2019. Passamaquoddy tribal census rolls report a total of 2,005 tribal members. According to the ACS, in 2019 11.70% of residents were white; 84.04% Native American; 1.02% from other races, and 3.66% from two or more races. The median income for a household was an estimated $26,429. 35.1% of families and 43.6% of the population had incomes below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 58.3% of those under age 18 and 28.8% of those age 65 or over.


Drinking water crisis


Passamaquoddy Water District

Sipayik's municipal water is provided by the Passamaquoddy Water District (PWD). Despite incorporating the tribe in its name, PWD is not tribally affiliated; it is a state-chartered quasi-municipal corporation created by the
Maine Legislature The Maine Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. It is a bicameral body composed of the lower house Maine House of Representatives and the upper house Maine Senate. The Legislature convenes at the State House in Aug ...
in an emergency act in 1983. PWD is governed by an independent board of trustees and an
executive director Executive director is commonly the title of the chief executive officer of a non-profit organization, government agency or international organization. The title is widely used in North American and European not-for-profit organizations, though ...
, and serves slightly over 600 households in Perry, Eastport and Sipayik, Maine. The PWD is responsible for infrastructure at the water source, a water tower at Sipayik, and facilities in Eastport. PWD water comes from the Boyden
Reservoir A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...
in Perry, a shallow body that is only 10–11 feet deep at its deepest point. Since it is a shallow, surface-water source, the water contains high amounts of
organic matter Organic matter, organic material, or natural organic matter refers to the large source of carbon-based compounds found within natural and engineered, terrestrial, and aquatic environments. It is matter composed of organic compounds that have c ...
that are exacerbated by weather events and routine system maintenance procedures. When chlorine is used to treat water containing organic matter, the
disinfection by-product Disinfection by-products (DBPs) result from chemical reactions between organic and inorganic matter in water with chemical treatment agents during the water disinfection process. Chlorination disinfection byproducts Chlorinated disinfection agen ...
trihalomethane In chemistry, trihalomethanes (THMs) are chemical compounds in which three of the four hydrogen atoms of methane () are replaced by halogen atoms. Many trihalomethanes find uses in industry as solvents or refrigerants. THMs are also environment ...
(THM) forms. Acute exposure to large doses of THMs can cause
liver damage Liver disease, or hepatic disease, is any of many diseases of the liver. If long-lasting it is termed chronic liver disease. Although the diseases differ in detail, liver diseases often have features in common. Signs and symptoms Some of the si ...
and central nervous system depression in humans, and laboratory animal studies of chronic low-dose exposure suggest that THMs may be carcinogenic. PWD water testing has revealed high levels of THM since testing for disinfection by-products began following the
Safe Drinking Water Act The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) is the principal federal law in the United States intended to ensure safe drinking water for the public. Pursuant to the act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to set standards for drinking w ...
(SDWA) of 1974. Between 1977 and 1981, THM levels in PWD water were three to four times the
United States Environmental Protection Agency The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it be ...
(EPA) Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL). Levels exceeding the MCL were recorded again in 2005 and 2017, and in both 2018 and 2019 THM concentrations were above the MCL for three out of the four quarters of the year. Boyden Reservoir's water level continues to decrease, causing the levels of organic matter to rise along with the amount of chlorine needed to treat the supply. PWD's treatment facility has seen $14.9 million worth of upgrades since 2000, and state officials reported in August 2020 that the water test results were within federal regulatory limits. This is disputed by tribal documents.


Resident experience

Since 2000, residents of Sipayik have received 49 public notices on water quality, 22 of which warned of unsafe levels of THM and
haloacetic acids Haloacetic acids are carboxylic acids in which a halogen atom takes the place of a hydrogen atom in acetic acid. Thus, in a monohaloacetic acid, a single halogen would replace a hydrogen atom. For example, chloroacetic acid would have the structur ...
and stated that these contaminants can lead to "liver, kidney, and central nervous system problems and an increased risk of cancer.” The water is frequently discolored and odorous, and runs black, brown and green when weather events or routine maintenance procedures cause excess
turbidity Turbidity is the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by large numbers of individual particles that are generally invisible to the naked eye, similar to smoke in air. The measurement of turbidity is a key test of water quality. Fluids can ...
in the reservoir. Though most Sipayik residents do not drink the PWD tap water, it is commonly used for other needs such as bathing and household cleaning. Because THMs vaporize at room temperature and can be inhaled and absorbed through the skin, it is likely that even the Sipayik residents who avoid drinking the tap water are still subject to chronic THM exposure.


Barriers to safe water

The ability of the Passamaquoddy Tribe to implement solutions to the PWD water crisis is limited because Maine does not grant tribes the ability to regulate and permit water resources independent of the state. A bill was introduced to the 129th Maine legislature to amend Maine's tribal sovereignty law, but the legislature had not taken it up by the time it adjourned due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. Also, the PWD is the only public water utility in Maine that is not tax-exempt. Due to this and its limited customer base, there has not been adequate funding for infrastructure repairs that could improve drinking water quality. Efforts to develop wells as alternatives to the PWD system and reservoir have met resistance. In 2014, the Passamaquoddy Tribe drilled a well on a parcel of their land in Perry, Maine. After initial testing of the well negatively impacted other wells in the area, the town of Perry passed an ordinance limiting activity on the new well, and the project was halted. In 2020, state regulations also prevented the tribe from independently testing and permitting a well for the new Sipayik Elementary School. The Passamaquoddy Tribe successfully obtained permits and dug a hand-pumped well from which people in need of clean drinking water can fill storage jugs in the fall of 2020.


Solutions

In November 2019, the Passamaquoddy Tribe of Pleasant Point received a $30,000 grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency for water studies and testing, community outreach, reporting and action plan development. The EPA has recommended testing in a wider variety of the PWD's service area and is helping to institute more regular testing of the water. In early 2020, Passamaquoddy leaders assembled a group of stakeholders in the water crisis to began developing short-, middle- and long-term solutions and to increase water testing at Sipayik. The group includes tribal leaders, PWD leaders, state water officials, EPA Region 1 representatives, and individuals from other municipalities. Tribal leaders expressed a desire to understand exactly what is in the water, to have more routine testing of the PWD system take place at Sipayik as opposed to the neighboring towns of Perry or Eastport, and to establish institutional partnerships to study the health impacts of the PWD water. As of late September 2020, the stakeholder group had held three meetings during which the State of Maine acknowledged an ongoing public health crisis at Sipayik and pledged to aid in solutions. A state grant program has been announced to address imminent public health threats, and PWD will use the first grant for a one-year pilot project: A granular
activated carbon Activated carbon, also called activated charcoal, is a form of carbon commonly used to filter contaminants from water and air, among many other uses. It is processed (activated) to have small, low-volume pores that increase the surface area avail ...
water purification Water purification is the process of removing undesirable chemicals, biological contaminants, suspended solids, and gases from water. The goal is to produce water that is fit for specific purposes. Most water is purified and disinfected for hu ...
system will be installed to treat the water after the existing PWD treatment. Administration of the 2019 EPA grant, focused on feasibility studies for alternative water supplies, continues; and the tribe is waiting on state permits to install a roadside well using funding from the
CARES act The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, is a $2.2trillion Stimulus (economics), economic stimulus bill passed by the 116th U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 27, 2 ...
.


References


External links


Pleasant Point - Passamaquoddy Tribal Government

Wabanaki Tribes - Four Directions Development Corporation

Wabanaki Trails - Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point

Passamaquoddy Water District

MIT water study of Passamaquoddy Water District area
{{authority control American Indian reservations in Maine Geography of Washington County, Maine Passamaquoddy Populated coastal places in Maine Towns in Maine American Indian reservations Passamaquoddy people Federally recognized tribes in the United States Washington County, Maine First Nations