Well Water in Kennebec County, Maine

Kennebec County · Population ~123,000 (county) · Aquifer: Bedrock / Kennebec River Valley Aquifer

PFAS: The Sludge Legacy

The Kennebec Valley was one of the areas in Maine where the practice of spreading treated sewage sludge on farmland was most widespread. For decades, municipal wastewater treatment plants provided free "biosolids" to farmers as fertilizer. The sludge contained PFAS — persistent chemicals that don't break down in the environment.

The result: PFAS leached through the soil into groundwater, contaminating private wells downhill and downstream of sludge-spread fields. In some cases, PFAS levels in well water exceeded 10,000 parts per trillion — far above Maine's interim standard of 20 ppt for the sum of six PFAS compounds.

Farms in the Fairfield and Unity areas have been particularly affected. Some have been forced to close. Well owners near these sites are discovering contamination years or decades after the sludge was applied.

Arsenic and Other Bedrock Contaminants

Beyond PFAS, Kennebec County wells face the same bedrock-sourced contaminants found across Maine:

• Arsenic — naturally occurring in the granitic and metamorphic bedrock. See our arsenic guide.
• Uranium — found in the same geological formations as arsenic
• Manganese — causes black staining and metallic taste; health concerns at elevated levels, particularly for infants
• Bacteria — shallow wells and older well construction make some wells vulnerable

State Response and Testing

Maine has been actively investigating PFAS contamination from sludge sites. The Maine DEP maintains a map of known and suspected sludge-application sites and is offering free PFAS testing for wells near these sites.

If you live within a mile of a farm or field where sludge was applied, contact the Maine DEP to request PFAS testing. For arsenic, the Maine CDC offers free testing statewide.

See our testing guide for all testing options.