When the Portland Water District acquired the Portland Water Company in 1908 one of its first priorities was to increase water supply to its customers. After consulting with engineer Allen Hazen from New York, the Water District decided to install a 42” cast iron transmission main from Sebago Lake to Portland to better serve the areas of Portland, Deering, South Portland and Cape Elizabeth, with the remaining customer base to be supplied by the existing mains and reservoirs.

In this photograph, the trench for the pipeline has been dug and the pipes that will eventually go in it are laying next to the trench, on the hillside.