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 (toll-free in Maine - 866-292-3474). These guidelines are not enforceable standards and are not applicable to the regulation of public water supplies where federal and state Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) are used for evaluating water quality.

Resources for Private Well Owners

• Wellwater.maine.gov - a website to link to state agencies that deal with well water
• BROCHURE: Is Your Well Water Safe to Drink? - A brochure identifying for what and how often you should test (pdf)
• POSTER: Is Your Well Water Safe to Drink?" (pdf)
• Tipsheet: Have you tested your well water for arsenic? (PDF)
• Tipsheet: Arsenic in Your Well Water (PDF)
• BROCHURE: Uranium in my Well Water, Now What do I do? (pdf)

Technical Reports

• MTBE in Maine Drinking Water-Executive Summary (pdf)
• MTBE in Maine Drinking Water-Full Report (Preliminary) (pdf)
• Procedures for Developing Maximum Exposure Guidelines (pdf)
• Table of Maximum Exposure Guidelines, October 2012 (pdf)
• Summary of Changes to Maximum Exposure Guidelines, October 2012 (pdf)
• Maximum Exposure Guideline for Radon in Drinking Water (pdf)

External Links

• Contact the MeCDC Health & Environmental Testing Laboratory if you would like more information on how to get your well tested.
• Maine Drinking Water Program: Information on Private Wells for Homeowners.
• EPA's Office of Groundwater and Drinking Water
• Maine Radiation Control Program.  For questions about Radon.