Overview
EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services - Division of Environmental Health, as well as information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (April 2024 - June 2024), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.
Legal does not necessarily equal safe.
Getting a passing grade from the federal government does not mean the water meets the latest health guidelines.
Legal limits for contaminants in tap water have not been updated in almost 20 years.
The best way to ensure clean tap water is to keep pollution out of source water in the first place.
Contaminants Detected
Nitrate
Potential Effect: cancer
This Utility: 0.620 ppm
Legal Limit: 10 ppm
4.4x
EWG's Health Guideline: 0.14 ppm
Nitrate
Nitrate, a fertilizer chemical, frequently contaminates drinking water due to agricultural and urban runoff, and discharges from municipal wastewater treatment plants and septic tanks. Excessive nitrate in water can cause oxygen deprivation in infants and increase the risk of cancer. Click here to read more about nitrate.
Nitrate was found at 4.4 times above EWG's Health Guideline.
EWG Health Guideline
This Utility
Legal Limit
National Average
State Average
Health Risks
The EWG health guideline of 0.14 parts per million, or ppm, for nitrate and nitrite is based on the equivalent health guideline for nitrate, as defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG. This guideline represents a one-in-one-million annual cancer risk level.
Understanding the Data
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2021-2023.
ppm = parts per millionPollution Sources
Agriculture
Runoff & Sprawl
Naturally Occurring
Filtering Options
Reverse Osmosis
Ion Exchange
Nitrate and nitrite
Potential Effect: cancer
This Utility: 0.870 ppm
Legal Limit: 10 ppm
6.2x
EWG's Health Guideline: 0.14 ppm
Nitrate and nitrite
Nitrate and nitrite enter water from fertilizer runoff, septic tanks and urban runoff. These contaminants can cause oxygen deprivation for infants and increase the risk of cancer. Nitrite is significantly more toxic than nitrate. Click here to read more about nitrate.
Nitrate and nitrite was found at 6.2 times above EWG's Health Guideline.
EWG Health Guideline
This Utility
Legal Limit
National Average
State Average
Health Risks
The EWG health guideline of 0.14 parts per million, or ppm, for nitrate and nitrite is based on the equivalent health guideline for nitrate, as defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG. This guideline represents a one-in-one-million annual cancer risk level.
Understanding the Data
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2021-2023.
ppm = parts per millionPollution Sources
Agriculture
Runoff & Sprawl
Naturally Occurring
Filtering Options
Reverse Osmosis
Ion Exchange
Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS)
Potential Effect:
This Utility: 27.8 ppt
Legal Limit: 10 ppt
27,800x
EWG's Health Guideline: 0.001 ppt
Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS)
Perfluorohexane sulfonate is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. Perfluorinated chemicals can cause serious health effects, including cancer, endocrine disruption, accelerated puberty, liver and immune system damage, and thyroid changes. These chemicals are persistent in the environment and they accumulate in people. Click here to read more about perfluorinated chemicals.
Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) was found at 27,800 times above EWG's Health Guideline.
EWG Health Guideline
This Utility
Legal Limit
National Average
State Average
Health Risks
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.001 ppt for perfluorohexane sulfonate was defined by EPA's toxicity value published in the Integrated Risk Information System's toxicological review. This health guideline harm to the developing immune system.
Understanding the Data
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2013-2024.
ppt = parts per trillionPollution Sources
Industry
Runoff & Sprawl
Filtering Options
Activated Carbon
Reverse Osmosis
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)
Potential Effect:
This Utility: 142.0 ppt
Proposed Legal Limit: 4 ppt
473x
EWG's Health Guideline: 0.3 ppt
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. PFOS and other perfluorinated chemicals can cause serious health effects, including cancer, endocrine disruption, accelerated puberty, liver and immune system damage, and thyroid changes. These chemicals are persistent in the environment and they accumulate in people. Click here to read more about perfluorinated chemicals.
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was found at 473 times above EWG's Health Guideline.
EWG Health Guideline
This Utility
Proposed Legal Limit
National Average
State Average
Health Risks
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.3 ppt for PFOS was defined by EPA's final toxicity value from the Office of Water’s Final Human Health Toxicity Assessment. This health guideline protects againat cardiovascular harm and harm to fetal growth.
Understanding the Data
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2013-2024.
ppt = parts per trillionPollution Sources
Industry
Runoff & Sprawl
Filtering Options
Activated Carbon
Reverse Osmosis
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
Potential Effect: cancer
This Utility: 3.71 ppt
Proposed Legal Limit: 4 ppt
41x
EWG's Health Guideline: 0.09 ppt
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. PFOA and other perfluorinated chemicals can cause serious health effects, including cancer, endocrine disruption, accelerated puberty, liver and immune system damage, and thyroid changes. These chemicals are persistent in the environment and they accumulate in people. Click here to read more about perfluorinated chemicals.
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was found at 41 times above EWG's Health Guideline.
EWG Health Guideline
This Utility
Proposed Legal Limit
National Average
State Average
Health Risks
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.09 ppt for PFOA was was defined by EPA's final toxicity value from the Office of Water’s Final Human Health Toxicity Assessment. This health guideline protects againat cardiovascular harm and harm to fetal growth.
Understanding the Data
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2013-2024.
ppt = parts per trillionPollution Sources
Industry
Runoff & Sprawl
Filtering Options
Activated Carbon
Reverse Osmosis
Perfluoropentane sulfonic acid (PFPeS)
Potential Effect:
This Utility: 3.93 ppt
No Legal Limit
3.9x
EWG's Health Guideline: 1 ppt
Perfluoropentane sulfonic acid (PFPeS)
Perfluoropentane sulfonic acid (PFPeS) is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. PFPeS and other perfluorinated chemicals can cause serious health effects, including cancer, endocrine disruption, accelerated puberty, liver and immune system damage, and thyroid changes. These chemicals are persistent in the environment and they accumulate in people. Click here to read more about perfluorinated chemicals.
Perfluoropentane sulfonic acid (PFPeS) was found at 3.9 times above EWG's Health Guideline.
EWG Health Guideline
This Utility
National Average
State Average
Health Risks
The EWG Health Guideline of 1 ppt for PFPeS was defined by EWG as based on studies by Phillipe Grandjean of Harvard University and many other independent researchers who found reduced effectiveness of vaccines and adverse impacts on mammary gland development from exposure to PFOA and PFOS, the two PFAS most widely detected in drinking water.
Understanding the Data
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2018-2024.
ppt = parts per trillionPollution Sources
Industry
Runoff & Sprawl
Filtering Options
Activated Carbon
Reverse Osmosis
Total PFOS and PFOA
Potential Effect:
This Utility: 176.2 ppt
No Legal Limit
25,174x
EWG's Health Guideline: 0.007 ppt
Total PFOS and PFOA
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. PFOS, PFOA and other perfluorinated chemicals can cause serious health effects, including cancer, endocrine disruption, accelerated puberty, liver and immune system damage, and thyroid changes. These chemicals are persistent in the environment and they accumulate in people. Click here to read more about perfluorinated chemicals.
Total PFOS and PFOA was found at 25,174 times above EWG's Health Guideline.
EWG Health Guideline
This Utility
National Average
State Average
Health Risks
EWG applied the health guideline of 0.09 ppt, defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal for PFOA, to PFOS and PFOA combined. This health guideline protects against cancer.
Understanding the Data
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2021-2023.
ppt = parts per trillionPollution Sources
Industry
Runoff & Sprawl
Filtering Options
Activated Carbon
Reverse Osmosis
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Potential Effect: cancer
This Utility: 1.60 ppb
Legal Limit: 80 ppb
11x
EWG's Health Guideline: 0.15 ppb
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Trihalomethanes are cancer-causing contaminants that form during water treatment with chlorine and other disinfectants. The total trihalomethanes group includes four chemicals: chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane and bromoform.
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) was found at 11 times above EWG's Health Guideline.
EWG Health Guideline
This Utility
Legal Limit
National Average
State Average
Health Risks
The health guideline of 0.15 parts per billion, or ppb, for the group of four trihalomethanes, or THM4/TTHM, was defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG and represents a one-in-one-million lifetime cancer risk level.
Understanding the Data
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2021-2023.
ppb = parts per billionPollution Sources
Treatment Byproducts
Filtering Options
Activated Carbon
Reverse Osmosis
Includes chemicals detected in 2021-2023 for which annual utility averages exceeded an EWG-selected health guideline established by a federal or state public health authority.
† HAA5 is a contaminant group that includes monochloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, monobromoacetic acid and dibromoacetic acid. HAA9 is a contaminant group that includes the chemicals in HAA5 and bromochloroacetic acid, bromodichloroacetic acid, chlorodibromoacetic acid and tribromoacetic acid. TTHM is a contaminant group that includes bromodichloromethane, bromoform, chloroform and dibromochloromethane.
Barium
This Utility: 86.0 ppb
Legal Limit: 2,000 ppb
EWG's Health Guideline: 700 ppb
Barium
Barium is a mineral present in rocks, soil and water. High concentrations of barium in drinking water increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and hypertension.
How your levels compare
EWG Health Guideline
This Utility
Legal Limit
National Average
State Average
Health Risks
The EWG Health Guideline of 700 ppb for barium was defined by EWG as benchmark that protects against harm to the kidneys and the cardiovascular system.
Understanding the Data
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2021-2023.
ppb = parts per billionPollution Sources
Industry
Naturally Occurring
Filtering Options
Reverse Osmosis
Ion Exchange
Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS)
This Utility: 3.12 ppt
No Legal Limit
EWG's Health Guideline: 2,000 ppt
Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS)
Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. PFOS and other perfluorinated chemicals can cause serious health effects, including cancer, endocrine disruption, accelerated puberty, liver and immune system damage, and thyroid changes. These chemicals are persistent in the environment and they accumulate in people. Click here to read more about perfluorinated chemicals.
How your levels compare
EWG Health Guideline
This Utility
National Average
State Average
Health Risks
The EWG Health Guideline of 2,000 ppt for perfluorobutane sulfonate was defined by EPA’s Human Health toxicity value. This health guideline hormone disruption and harm to fetal growth and child development.
Understanding the Data
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2013-2024.
ppt = parts per trillionPollution Sources
Industry
Runoff & Sprawl
Filtering Options
Activated Carbon
Reverse Osmosis
Perfluorobutanoic Acid (PFBA)
This Utility: 2.90 ppt
No Legal Limit
EWG's Health Guideline: 1,000 ppt
Perfluorobutanoic Acid (PFBA)
Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. PFOS and other perfluorinated chemicals can cause serious health effects, including cancer, endocrine disruption, accelerated puberty, liver and immune system damage, and thyroid changes. These chemicals are persistent in the environment and they accumulate in people. Click here to read more about perfluorinated chemicals.
How your levels compare
EWG Health Guideline
This Utility
National Average
State Average
Health Risks
The EWG Health Guideline of 1,000 ppt for perfluorobutanoic acid was defined by EPA's recommended application of the toxicity value for PFHxA published in the Integrated Risk Information System’s toxicological review. This health guideline protects against harm to fetal growth and child development.
Understanding the Data
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2018-2024.
ppt = parts per trillionPollution Sources
Industry
Runoff & Sprawl
Filtering Options
Activated Carbon
Reverse Osmosis
Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA)
This Utility: 2.68 ppt
No Legal Limit
EWG's Health Guideline: 1,000 ppt
Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA)
Perfluoroheptanoic acid is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. Perfluorinated chemicals can cause serious health effects, including cancer, endocrine disruption, accelerated puberty, liver and immune system damage, and thyroid changes. These chemicals are persistent in the environment and they accumulate in people. Click here to read more about perfluorinated chemicals.
How your levels compare
EWG Health Guideline
This Utility
National Average
State Average
Health Risks
The EWG Health Guideline of 1,000 ppt for perfluoroheptanoic acid was defined by EPA's recommended application of the toxicity value for PFHxA published in the Integrated Risk Information System’s toxicological review. This health guideline harm to fetal growth and child development.
Understanding the Data
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2013-2024.
ppt = parts per trillionPollution Sources
Industry
Runoff & Sprawl
Filtering Options
Activated Carbon
Reverse Osmosis
Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA)
This Utility: 6.25 ppt
No Legal Limit
EWG's Health Guideline: 1,000 ppt
Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA)
Perfluorohexanoic acid is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. Perfluorinated chemicals can cause serious health effects, including cancer, endocrine disruption, accelerated puberty, liver and immune system damage, and thyroid changes. These chemicals are persistent in the environment and they accumulate in people. Click here to read more about perfluorinated chemicals.
How your levels compare
EWG Health Guideline
This Utility
National Average
State Average
Health Risks
The EWG Health Guideline of 1,000 ppt for perfluorohexanoic acid was defined by EPA's toxicity value published in the Integrated Risk Information System's toxicological review. This health guideline protects against harm to fetal growth and child development.
Understanding the Data
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2018-2024.
ppt = parts per trillionPollution Sources
Industry
Runoff & Sprawl
Filtering Options
Activated Carbon
Reverse Osmosis
Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA)
This Utility: 7.03 ppt
No Legal Limit
EWG's Health Guideline: 1,000 ppt
Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA)
Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA) is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. PFOS and other perfluorinated chemicals can cause serious health effects, including cancer, endocrine disruption, accelerated puberty, liver and immune system damage, and thyroid changes. These chemicals are persistent in the environment and they accumulate in people. Click here to read more about perfluorinated chemicals.
How your levels compare
EWG Health Guideline
This Utility
National Average
State Average
Health Risks
The EWG Health Guideline of 1,000 ppt for PFPeA was defined by EPA's recommended application of the toxicity value for PFHxA published in the Integrated Risk Information System’s toxicological review. This health guideline protects against harm to fetal growth and child development.
Understanding the Data
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2018-2024.
ppt = parts per trillionPollution Sources
Industry
Runoff & Sprawl
Filtering Options
Activated Carbon
Reverse Osmosis
Uranium
This Utility: 0.39 pCi/L
Legal Limit: 20 pCi/L
EWG's Health Guideline: 0.43 pCi/L
Uranium
Uranium is a known human carcinogen. The federal legal limit for uranium is set at 30 micrograms per liter (corresponding to parts per billion), but utilities can also report uranium in picocuries per liter (pCi/L), which is a measure of radioactivity in water. EWG translated all uranium results to pCi/L using a conversion factor developed by the EPA. With this conversion approach, the limit of 30 ppb corresponds to 20 pCi/L. Drinking water with this much uranium would cause more than 4.6 cancer cases in a population of 100,000. California set a public health goal for uranium of 0.43 pCi/L.
How your levels compare
EWG Health Guideline
This Utility
Legal Limit
National Average
State Average
Health Risks
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.43 pCi/L for uranium was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. Three most common uranium isotopes are U-234, U-235 and U-238. All isotopes of uranium are radioactive, and the total radioactivity depends on the ratio of isotopes. This health guideline protects against cancer.
Understanding the Data
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2018-2023.
pCi/L = picocuries per literPollution Sources
Industry
Naturally Occurring
Filtering Options
Reverse Osmosis
Ion Exchange
Includes chemicals detected in 2021-2023 for which annual utility averages were lower than an EWG-selected health guideline established by a federal or state public health authority.
Other Contaminants Tested
✕Find A Filter
Explore filter options for each contaminant. See which technologies are effective at reducing specific contaminants to help you make an informed decision on the best water treatment solution for your needs.
| CONTAMINANTS ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES | activated carbon | reverse osmosis | ion exchange |
| Nitrate | |||
| Nitrate & nitrite | |||
| Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) | |||
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) | |||
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) | |||
| Perfluoropentane sulfonic acid (PFPeS) | |||
| Total PFOS and PFOA | |||
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) | |||
| OTHER CONTAMINANTS DETECTED | activated carbon | reverse osmosis | ion exchange |
| Barium | |||
| Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) | |||
| Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) | |||
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA) | |||
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) | |||
| Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) | |||
| Uranium, combined (pCi/L) |
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