The FONTUS Guide to Arsenic in Maine Well Water

Did you know 10%, or 1 in 10, Maine wells contain Arsenic in well water? And that’s just the state average. So, for example, the counties below are greatly exceeding state safety guidelines for arsenic.

• 27.9% of Kennebec county home wells contain arsenic
• 22.6% in York county home wells contain arsenic
• 21.4% in Hancock county home wells contain arsenic
• 17.5% in Cumberland county home wells contain arsenic

The Problem with Arsenic in Well Water

The arsenic presence in drinking water can lead to serious health issues. Certainly, the health risks increase depending on the length of time-ingesting the contaminant and the concentration.

Risks and symptoms include:

• Some types of cancer, including skin, bladder, lung, and possibly liver and kidney cancer
• Lower IQ scores
• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Bruising
• Abnormal heart rhythm
• Numbness or “pins and needles” sensation in hands and feet

HOW MUCH ARSENIC IS TOO MUCH?

In short, your water has too much arsenic in it if your test result is above 10 ug/L or 0.01 mg/L. Unfortunately, not enough Mainers are testing their wells for arsenic contamination. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, less than half of Maine households test for arsenic. This Bangor Daily News story explains that the state is trying to increase well water education. Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services hopes for a statewide testing goal of 65% by 2020.

KEEP TESTING YOUR WATER SUPPLY

There’s no way around it; arsenic in well water is a health hazard. To clarify, doing things like boiling your water won’t remove arsenic. Therefore it’s essential to test your water supply. Meanwhile, arsenic can leach into a water supply at any time. As a result, the Maine Center for Disease Control recommends testing every 3-5 years.