Maine struggling to get homeowners to test and treat private wells for arsenic
Wendy Brennan agreed to participate in a study examining how arsenic exposure can affect children’s cognitive development primarily because her young daughter wanted the free T-shirt. It was 2009, and the family had lived…
Maine is grappling with a low percentage of homeowners testing their private wells for arsenic levels, which can have harmful effects on children's cognitive development. As of 2023, only 53 percent of Mainers on private well water had tested for arsenic, a figure that has barely changed since 2014, when the rate was around 48 percent.
This is significantly below the 65 percent target set by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention by 2020. Low-income households making less than $25,000 were the least likely to have their wells tested, according to Maine CDC data.
Rep. Daniel Ankeles, D-Brunswick, introduced a bill to establish a $1 million fund to test and treat private wells for arsenic and other contaminants. However, the program has failed to serve as many homes as hoped due to rising costs and shifting treatment criteria. "The money we have is kind of a drop in the bucket right now, and it's not permanent money — it's not ongoing funding," Ankeles lamented.
The Maine CDC estimates that one in ten wells has arsenic levels exceeding the Environmental Protection Agency's limit. Since arsenic cannot be tasted, seen, or smelled, it poses significant health risks such as cognitive impairments in children and increased risks of certain cancers later in life.
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