However, Saturday was not about Poland Spring's message. It was about the concerns of the citizens of Fryeburg and the affected area. About 500,000 gallons of water a day is pumped out of the Ward's Brook aquifer, water that would otherwise filter down into Lovewell Pond. The water is actually pumped out by the Fryeburg Water Company, which sells its water to Pure Mountain Springs, which then sells water to Poland Springs. The Fryeburg Water Company is privately owned, and the town of Fryeburg sees no revenue from the water pumped out from under its ground. In fact, the town of Fryeburg purchases water for the municipality from the Fryeburg Water Company.

Many believe it is the water extraction that is to blame for changes occurring in Lovewell Pond. Some of the spring-fed streams that supply the lake have dried up. The water has become murkier, and there is increased vegetation growing on the lake bottom. Howard Dearborn cited concerns about increased concentrations of pollutants such as phosphorus, due to the reduction of spring water supplying the lake. Before commercial pumping began, there was a study done to estimate the amount of water that could be removed without any significant effect on the aquifer or on Ward's Brook. The study concluded that up to 803,000 gallons more than what is consumed by Fryeburg could be removed. However, the study did not research the impact of water removal on Lovewell Pond or the rest of the watershed, and there has been no long-term biological impact study. Poland Spring has claimed both that ecological damage to the lake could be the result of other sources and that the changes occurring are just the natural life-cycle of a lake (i.e. changing into a pond, then becoming a marsh, then becoming dry land). No one denies that there may be other sources damaging the lake, but residents are concerned about the loss of about 200 million gallons of water that would flow into the Lovewell Pond ecosystem each year, if it were not pumped out and trucked away.

Jim Wilfong, a former Maine legislator and founder of H2O for ME, spoke about the goals of the demonstration. He described a three-pronged approach to ensure ground water protection in Maine. The first was legislative. He and other concerned citizens worked to introduce and pass legislation in Maine which requires environmental impact studies on the effects of water extraction, as well as ongoing monitoring. Monitoring is paid for by water companies and must be performed by an independent consultant. This legislation closes a gap in the Natural Resources Protection Act, which does not cover groundwater. Wilfong stated that the law was not enough in itself, but was a start. He commended Poland Spring for participating in the drafting of the legislation.

The second part is to declare groundwater in the public trust. Currently, Maine allows a landowner to pump unlimited amounts of water irrespective of the effects on the surrounding ecosystem and community. The third is to enact a fee on all water extraction above 500,000 per year. Revenue from the water fee would be put in a fund and invested in the state. Only 5 percent would be used for the establishment of a Water Resources Conservation Board, whose charge would be to ensure the long-term sustainability of water resources in Maine.

Wilfong emphasized that the struggle for water rights was a global issue. Communities all over the world are fighting for their water. He pointed out it is not just a struggle against water bottling companies, but soda and beer companies also require enormous amounts of water for their products. Many at the protest were inspired by a recent victory in Barnstead, New Hampshire, where residents passed a town ordinance preempting corporate water extraction. Others expressed solidarity with Save Our Groundwater in Barrington, New Hampshire, who are currently fighting USA Springs. Standing on a bridge in Fryeburg, protesters felt not only a connection to their local community, but a connection to a global cause.