BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 29, 2022
Milfoil is in 32 Maine lakes now, four more than before the COVID-19 pandemic, as more people sought outdoor activities like boating and stayed on lakes longer into the fall. Apart from being an eyesore and unpleasant to swim and boat through, widespread milfoil infestations can be costly to homeowners by lowering lakeside property values, studies have found. Homeowners in Maine’s southern five counties could see property value losses topping $11 million, according to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Costs to control invasive species, including milfoil, could eventually reach $4 million per year, it said. That figure does not include losses from tourism, fishing and water sports.