Copper in Maine well water
In Maine, 0% of 187 tested private well samples exceeded the EPA limit for copper (1.3 mg/L).
Copper leaches from pipes when water is acidic. Above 1.3 mg/L it causes stomach upset, and long-term exposure can harm the liver and kidneys. Blue-green stains on fixtures are the giveaway.
By county, from individual samples
Public monitoring samples against the EPA limit (1.3 mg/L); counties with at least 30 samples.
| County | Samples | Detected | Above EPA limit | Median | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxford | 33 | 100% | 0% | 0 | 0.63 mg/L |
| Washington | 45 | 47% | 0% | 0 | 0.03 mg/L |
Sources
- Individual samples from the USGS Water Quality Portal and state monitoring, summarized per geography. copper counts and shares are listed on each county and town page with their sources.