Well water in Portland, Connecticut
1in11
Testing recommended
tested well samples in Portland exceeded the EPA limit for nitrate (10 mg/L), based on public data from USGS Water Quality Portal and Connecticut DPH and USGS arsenic and uranium survey.
158 test results across 11 contaminants from at least 9 wells, 1953 to 2017; nitrate has the most at 34. Data refreshed September 3, 2026.
Compiled by Nick at Well Water Nerd from public records. How these pages are built
What individual samples found
Each row summarizes every public sample for that contaminant inside Portland. Above limit means above the EPA maximum contaminant level; where EPA has no enforceable limit, the row shows a health guideline or nuisance level instead.
| Contaminant | Above limit | Samples | Detected | Median | Highest | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate 1953 to 2017 | 34 | 88% | 0.112 | 16 | 10 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Arsenic 2003 to 2017 | 12 | 25% | 0 | 11 | 10 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Uranium 1988 to 2017 | 15 | 40% | 0 | 57 | 30 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Fluoride 1953 to 2017 | 13 | 23% | 0 | 0.02 | 4 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Chloride 1953 to 2017 | no limit | 26 | 100% | 6.04 | 14.2 | 250 mg/L nuisance level |
| Iron 1953 to 2017 | no limit | 14 | 93% | 8.15 | 1,990 | 300 ug/L nuisance level |
| Manganese 1953 to 2017 | no limit | 14 | 100% | 0.78 | 20 | 300 ug/L health guideline |
| Sodium 1953 to 2017 | no limit | 13 | 100% | 4.67 | 5.81 | 20 mg/L health guideline |
Sampled fewer than 10 times, too few to summarize: Copper (9), Lead (7), Radium (226 + 228) (1).
Over time
Share of samples above the limit by period. A cell needs ten samples to show; a comparison needs twenty in each period. Later periods sample fewer wells, and often the ones already known to have a problem.
| Contaminant | before 2000 | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 17%18 samples | 0%12 samples | n/a | n/a |
Closer than the town
See the sampled wells near your address
The same records, drawn around one point: which wells within a few miles were sampled and what they found, how deep the wells next to you were drilled, and any leaking tank or cleanup site within a mile.
Check my addressWhat this means
The contaminants most often above their limit here are nitrate (9% of 34 samples), arsenic (8% of 12 samples), and uranium (7% of 15 samples). A well next door can differ sharply from yours because bedrock fractures, well depth and plumbing all matter, so these rates describe the area, not your tap.
Chloride, Iron, and Manganese are widespread in local groundwater. They are mainly a staining and taste problem, but high manganese also carries a health advisory for infants.
What to test for in Portland
- 1Nitrate9% of 34 local samples were above the limit.
- 2Arsenic8% of 12 local samples were above the limit.
- 3Uranium7% of 15 local samples were above the limit.
- 4Coliform bacteriaRecommended for every private well, every year.
- 5CopperDetected in 100% of local samples.
- 6ChlorideDetected in 100% of local samples.
- 7ManganeseDetected in 100% of local samples.
- 8Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)35 leaking underground storage tank sites on record locally.
Test your Portland well for nitrate, arsenic and uranium
Certified lab analysis of your own tap water, bottles and prepaid return shipping included. The Essential well panel covers arsenic, uranium, nitrate, lead, copper, manganese, iron, sodium and bacteria; radon and PFAS are add-ons.
Order the Tap Score well water test kit, from $209Already tested? Upload the report
Just want bacteria checked first? Tap Score coliform and E. coli test, $99. Coliform and E. coli are the tests every well needs every year.
Want a quick look before paying for a lab? Home well water test strips on Amazon check hardness, iron, pH and nitrate in minutes. They are a screen, not a result: arsenic, bacteria, uranium and PFAS need a certified lab.
Affiliate links: the merchant pays us a commission and the price is the same for you. It does not change what the data above says. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Where to get a well tested in Connecticut: certified labs, state programs and prices.
Already have results back? Get your lab report read against the Portland numbers, $29. Every line explained, ranked by what matters, with the fix for each.
Wells in Portland
34 domestic wells in Portland are on record with the state since 2020. the typical well is 385 feet deep (one in ten goes past 599 feet).
In a typical Portland well, the median yield is 12.5 gallons per minute, 3% of wells yield under 3 gallons per minute and usually need a storage tank.
Find your own well's report
The state keeps the driller's report for most wells drilled since 1984. It tells you how deep your well is, where bedrock starts, and how much water it makes, which decides what treatment can work.
- Open Connecticut well completion reports and choose Water Well.
- The report lists depth, depth to rock, casing, static water level and yield.
Only reports filed online since January 2021 are here; older paper reports are held by the Department of Consumer Protection.
The rock under Portland
Early Mesozoic basin aquifers
Sandstone. Sandstone wells draw from pore space in the rock and tend to be dependable. Iron, manganese and hardness are common, and some sandstones carry arsenic or radium, so a first test should include both.
Classification from the USGS Principal Aquifers of the United States (national map, 2003 edition, GIS release 2015), read at the town centroid. A single well can sit in a different unit, especially near a boundary.
Official help in Connecticut
Two places to start that are not selling anything: the state program that answers private well questions, and its list of labs certified to run drinking water tests. A certified lab is the difference between a result you can act on and a number.
- Private Wells, CT DPH
- Environmental Laboratory Certification, CT DPH
Contamination sources on record in Portland
CT DEEP contaminated sites and landfills records 35 leaking underground storage tank sites in Portland, among 87 regulated sites in total. Groundwater does not follow property lines, so a well within a few hundred feet of one of these is worth testing for what that site could release.
- 35
- leaking underground storage tank sitesGasoline and heating oil that leaked from tanks move through groundwater as benzene, MTBE and other volatile organic compounds.
- 1
- lined landfill or transfer facility
- 51
- other remediation projects
Treatment that fits the local profile
Nitrate
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Anion exchange; Distillation
Arsenic
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Adsorptive media (iron-based) whole-house; Anion exchange
Uranium
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Anion exchange; Whole-house anion exchange
Systems we would look at first
Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy through one, the merchant pays us a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change which products we list or what the data says.
For nitrate
Under-sink reverse osmosis system
under-sink or countertop, about $300
Look for NSF/ANSI 58 certification listing the contaminant you need removed.
For nitrate
Aquasana SmartFlow reverse osmosis
under-sink or countertop, about $225
Certified to NSF/ANSI 58 and 53 to reduce arsenic (96%, pentavalent), fluoride (90%), lead (99%), nitrate, nitrite and PFOA/PFOS at the kitchen tap, with a remineralizer.
For arsenic
Whole-house arsenic and uranium filter
whole-house, at the point of entry, about $2,500
Adsorptive iron-based media; sized to your well yield.
Free, no obligation
Get on the list for a free in-home water test in Portland
No water treatment company serves Portland through Well Water Nerd yet. We are signing licensed companies on county by county: they test at your tap for free, walk you through the numbers, and quote treatment only if something needs fixing. Leave your details and you are first in line. Nothing is shared until a company joins for Portland, and you get an email naming it first.
Common questions
How deep are wells in Portland?
The typical domestic well in Portland is 385 feet deep, based on 34 wells reported to the state since 2020. One in ten is deeper than 599 feet.
Is there arsenic in well water in Portland?
Arsenic was detected in 25% of 12 public well samples in Portland, and 8% were above the EPA limit of 10 ug/L. Arsenic has no taste or smell; a lab test is the only way to know your level.
How often should I test a private well in Portland?
Test for bacteria and nitrate every year. Test once for arsenic, uranium, radon, fluoride, manganese and PFAS, then again every three to five years or after any change in taste, color, or plumbing.
Towns near Portland
Closest first. Groundwater does not stop at a line on a map, so the next town over is a fair second opinion.
Want the numbers themselves? Download the Connecticut dataset as CSV, every county and town, with the sources named.
Sources
- USGS Water Quality Portal: 149 samples in Portland. Data from the Water Quality Portal, a service of USGS, EPA and USDA; groundwater samples collected by USGS and cooperators. Retrieved September 3, 2026.
- Connecticut DPH and USGS arsenic and uranium survey: 9 samples in Portland. Arsenic and uranium in 674 private bedrock wells sampled by the Connecticut Department of Public Health with the U.S. Geological Survey, 2013 to 2015. Retrieved .
- Connecticut well completion reports: 44 well records in Portland, 34 domestic. Well completion reports filed online with the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection since January 2021. Only aggregates are shown; owner names and addresses are never stored. Retrieved September 16, 2026.
- CT DEEP contaminated sites and landfills: 87 regulated sites located in Portland. Contaminated or potentially contaminated sites and solid waste landfills from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Retrieved September 16, 2026.
Non-detects count as samples and are treated as zero when computing medians. Exactly at the limit counts as not above it. A sample belongs to the town containing the well's reported coordinates.