When to Test Your Water
The Maine CDC recommends that residents with private wells test their water:
- Every year for coliform bacteria, E. coli, nitrates, and nitrites.
- Every 3-5 years for arsenic, chloride, copper, fluoride, hardness, iron, lead, magnesium, manganese, pH, radon, sodium, and uranium.
How to Test Your Well Water
- For information about testing your well water, click here.
- Call and order a testing kit from one of these accredited laboratories.
- You may be eligible for a free testing kit—Apply here.
- Watch this short video to learn how to properly collect a water sample.
- For information about understanding your test results and what to do next
- Watch this brief video
- Visit the “Be Well Informed Guide” — information and guidance for treatment. Enter your test results and get recommendations. Be sure to choose µg/l as the units.
More Information about Metals, Testing, and Financial Support:
- Maine Metals Fact Sheet
- Information on arsenic in drinking water and treatment (Maine Centers for Disease Control)
- Information on arsenic in food, water, and other sources (Dartmouth Toxic Metals Superfund Research Program)
- Maine State Housing Authority Well Water Abatement Program
- Financial Support
Worth Watching:
EPA Standards for Drinking Water Contaminants
| Contaminant | Symbol | EPA Maximum Contaminant Level | *Standard Type | Common Sources of Contaminant in Drinking Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antimony | Sb | 6 ppb | Primary | Discharge from various industries |
| Arsenic | As | 10 ppb | Primary | Erosion of natural deposits and runoff from orchards |
| Barium | Ba | 2000 ppb | Primary | Erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge |
| Beryllium | Be | 4 ppb | Primary | Discharge from various industries |
| Cadmium | Cd | 5 ppb | Primary | Erosion of natural deposits, industrial discharge, and erosion of galvanized pipes |
| Chromium | Cr | 100 ppb | Primary | Erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge |
| Copper | Cu | 1300 ppb | Secondary | Erosion of natural deposits and corrosion of household plumbing systems |
| Iron | Fe | 300 ppb | Secondary | Erosion of natural deposits |
| Lead | Pb | 15 ppb | Primary | Erosion of natural deposits and corrosion of household plumbing systems |
| Manganese | Mn | 300 ppb 100 ppb if infant drinks water (Minnesota recommendation) | Health Advisory Level | Erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge |
| Nickel | Ni | 100 ppb | according to ATSDR | Erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge |
| Selenium | Se | 50 ppb | Primary | Erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge |
| Thallium | Tl | 2 ppb | Primary | Industrial discharge |
| Uranium | U | 30 ppb | Primary | Erosion of natural deposits |
PFAS in Drinking Water:
For those with questions about PFAS in drinking water, you may find helpful information at the following links –
- Maine.gov: PFAS and Well Water
- PFAS and Water Contamination: Information from consumernotice.org
- Health Effects of PFAS Exposure: Information from consumernotice.org
- EWG-Recommended Filters for Getting PFAS out of Drinking Water
Recently, a homeowner in our Maine PFAS project received help from the Maine State Housing Authority’s well water abatement program to install a water filtration system!
Maine State Housing Authority Well Water Abatement Program
Are you a New Hampshire resident? New Hampshire supports PFAS testing and well remediation.