The Wareham Water Commissioners will ask Wareham Fire District voters for money to build a new water treatment plant and to replace water mains under a stretch of Route 6 and for permission to expand solar-energy generation on district land.

Meeting Monday night with representatives of the district’s Prudential Committee to submit warrant articles for district’s annual meeting on April 14, the commissioners explained their three requests.

The proposed new Maple Park/Maple Springs water treatment plant will treat water from a new Maple Park Well and four additional wells to remove manganese, iron, bacteria and corrosion.

Department Superintendent Michael Martin noted that manganese, a naturally occurring mineral in water, causes dirty-water complaints in higher concentrations.

"It's caused our complaints to rise continually over the last 10 years," Martin said.

The new facility would cost an estimated $2.6 million. With $750,000 of that amount on hand, the commissioners will ask voters for permission to borrow the remaining $1.85 million.

The district previously appropriated $2.9 million for the construction of a 1.13 million gallon per day well at the Maple Park site off Agawam Road.

Martin explained that, when the Maple Park well is completed, the water would be pumped to Maple Springs for treatment.

The new treatment plant would be expected to be on-line by 2016.

At the April 14 meeting, the Water Commissioners will also seek permission to construct additional solar energy facilities on district property adjacent to the new water treatment plant at the Maple Springs wellfield.

Such solar-power-generating facilities are operated by an outside company under a lease agreement with no up-front cost to the district.

"The solar plant could bring $1 million to the district over 20 years," said Water Commissioner Ted Hatch.

Also placed on the district meeting agenda by the Water Commissioners was an article to replace the district water main under the planned state reconstruction of Route 6, extending the existing main from Home Depot to the sewer pump station across from KFC. The $200,000 cost would be paid for from water revenue surplus funds.

A $4.13 million budget for fiscal year 2015 was submitted by the board. That represents an increase of $100,466, or 2.4 percent, from last year's budget.

The Wareham Fire District, a government entity separate from the Town of Wareham, provides water and fire-protection services to much of – but not all of -- the town. The Village of Onset and surrounding area is served by the similar but separate Onset Fire District.

With their roots in civic associations formed to provide fire protection for Main Street and Onset business districts, each district is overseen by a Prudential Committee elected by voters who live in the district. Each levies its own taxes and holds an annual meeting, much as the town holds its annual Town Meeting.