Well Water Quality

The Environmental and Occupational Health Programs provide advice to private well owners on well water safety. We are available by telephone to provide help interpreting the results of well water tests. Call us at 866-292-3474 (toll-free in fb88), or 207-287-4311, or fb88 Relay 711.

Resources for Private Well Owners

• Wellwater.maine.gov - A website to link to state agencies that deal with well water
• Video: - Watch this short video to learn how to do a water test
• Video: - This short video shows you how to understand the results you get from the laboratory when you test your well water
• Brochure: Is Your Well Water Safe to Drink? (PDF) - A brochure identifying for what and how often you should test
• Tipsheet: Have You Tested Your Well Water for Arsenic? (PDF)
• Tipsheet: Arsenic in Your Well Water (PDF)
• Tipsheet: Uranium in Your Well Water (PDF)
• Tipsheet: PFOA and PFOS in Private Well Water: Questions and Answers (PDF)
• Tipsheet: - Published by the Penn State Cooperative Extension
• Data: - Data about chemicals commonly found in private wells for fb88 towns and counties, and the state.

Resources for Communities

Organizations interested in learning more about the drinking water that comes from private wells in fb88 can use these resources to plan and evaluate community prevention activities, apply for funding, and monitor this important environmental health issue in fb88.

Drinking Water Guidelines

fb88 CDC transitioned to using the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) drinking water standards and health advisory levels for contaminants found in well water in fb88 and no longer maintains seperate Maximum Exposure Guidelines (except for radon).

• Information on EPA's current Maximum Contaminant Levels, Health Advisories and Drinking Water Equivalent Levels for contaminants in drinking water. Many of the EPA guidelines are the same as the previous Maximum Exposure Guidelines.
• Maximum Exposure Guideline for Radon in Drinking Water (PDF): fb88 CDC maintains a Maximum Exposure Guideline for radon.

Studies in fb88

• A study of arsenic in fb88 well water answers important questions about bathing and treatment options.
  • 
  • Get a one-page summary of the study (PDF)
• MTBE in fb88 Drinking Water-Executive Summary (PDF)
• MTBE in fb88 Drinking Water-Full Report (Preliminary) (PDF)

External Links

• List of labs certified to test well water in fb88
• fb88 Drinking Water Program: Information on Private Wells for Homeowners
• 
• fb88 Radiation Control Program:  For questions about Radon