Well water in Belgrade, Maine
In Belgrade, 31% of 235 private wells tested had arsenic above the Maine guideline (10 ug/L), according to Maine CDC.
248 private wells tested in state summaries; 18 individual samples from 18 wells, 1982 to 2023. Data refreshed September 3, 2026.
Maine DEP samples private wells near fields where sludge or septage was spread and near other known PFAS sources, and resamples detections. PFAS shares describe wells that were tested for a reason, not every well in the area. In that targeted sampling, 0% of 18 PFHxS results in Belgrade were above the EPA limit of 10 ng/L. In that targeted sampling, 0% of 18 PFOA results in Belgrade were above the EPA limit of 4 ng/L.
What homeowner tests found
Maine Tracking Network private well summaries: private wells tested and reported to the state. Shares are against the level the state applies to each contaminant, named in the last column; several are stricter than EPA.
What individual samples found
Each row summarizes every public sample for that contaminant inside Belgrade. 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 | Samples | Detected | Above limit | Median | Highest | Limit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFHxS 2022 to 2023 | 18 | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 10 ng/L EPA limit | |
| PFOA 2022 to 2023 | 18 | 11% | 0% | 0 | 0.755 | 4 ng/L EPA limit | |
| PFOS 2022 to 2023 | 18 | 6% | 0% | 0 | 3.4 | 4 ng/L EPA limit | |
| PFNA 2022 to 2023 | 18 | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 10 ng/L EPA limit |
Sampled fewer than 10 times, too few to summarize: Arsenic (5), Uranium (2), Nitrate (3), Radium (226 + 228) (2), Copper (1), Lead (1), Chloride (2), Radon (1), Iron (1), Sodium (1).
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What this means
Among homeowners in Belgrade who sent a sample to the state lab, the health-based limits most often exceeded were arsenic (31% of 235 wells), uranium (14% of 198 wells), and fluoride (6% of 237 wells). These are ordinary wells tested by their owners, so the shares are the best available picture of a typical well here, with one caveat: people test more often when they suspect a problem.
What to test for in Belgrade
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)5 leaking underground storage tank sites on record locally.
- PFAS2 unlined landfills on record locally.
- Arsenic31% of 235 local wells tested were above the Maine guideline.
- Uranium14% of 198 local wells tested were above the Maine guideline.
- Fluoride6% of 237 local wells tested were above the Maine guideline.
- Manganese2% of 215 local wells tested were above the Maine guideline.
- Coliform bacteriaRecommended for every private well, every year.
- RadonMedian local reading is 1,380 pCi/L.
- CopperDetected in 100% of local samples.
- ChlorideDetected in 100% of local samples.
Wells in Belgrade
368 domestic wells in Belgrade are on record with the state since 1970. 96% are drilled into bedrock, and the typical well is 250 feet deep (one in ten goes past 400 feet).
In a typical Belgrade well, bedrock starts about 42 feet down, the median yield is 6 gallons per minute, 18% of wells yield under 3 gallons per minute and usually need a storage tank.
Bedrock wells are where arsenic, uranium and radon come from: the water sits in fractures in granite and metamorphic rock and picks up whatever the rock carries. That is why testing for those three matters more here than in a dug or gravel well.
Contamination sources on record in Belgrade
Maine DEP records 5 leaking underground storage tank sites and 2 unlined landfills in Belgrade, among 10 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.
- 5
- leaking underground storage tank sitesGasoline and heating oil that leaked from tanks move through groundwater as benzene, MTBE and other volatile organic compounds.
- 2
- unlined landfillsOlder unlined landfills are a leading source of PFAS, VOCs and metals in nearby wells.
- 3
- other remediation projects
Treatment that fits the local profile
- 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
- Fluoride
- Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Activated alumina; Distillation
- Copper
- Neutralizing filter to raise pH; Point-of-use reverse osmosis
- Chloride
- Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Distillation
- Iron
- Oxidizing filter whole-house; Water softener (low levels); Aeration plus filtration
Book a free water test in Belgrade
A licensed local water treatment company tests your tap water in your home, walks you through the numbers, and quotes treatment only if something needs fixing. Free, about 30 minutes, no obligation.
Common questions
How deep are wells in Belgrade?
The typical domestic well in Belgrade is 250 feet deep, based on 368 wells reported to the state since 1970. One in ten is deeper than 400 feet. 96% are drilled into bedrock.
Is there arsenic in well water in Belgrade?
Arsenic was detected in 100% of 5 public well samples in Belgrade, and 100% 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 high is radon in well water in Belgrade?
The median radon level across 1 public samples in Belgrade was 1,380 pCi/L, with a high of 1,380 pCi/L. New Hampshire recommends treatment above 2,000 pCi/L.
How often should I test a private well in Belgrade?
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.
Sources
- Maine DEP PFAS investigation: 72 samples in Belgrade. PFAS results for private wells sampled by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Retrieved September 3, 2026.
- USGS Water Quality Portal: 19 samples in Belgrade. Data from the Water Quality Portal, a service of USGS, EPA and USDA; groundwater samples collected by USGS and cooperators. Retrieved September 3, 2026.
- Maine Tracking Network private well summaries: summaries for 6 contaminants in Belgrade, up to 248 wells each. Town summaries of private well tests run by the Maine Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory, published by Maine CDC through the Maine Tracking Network. Shares are against Maine's guideline for each analyte (arsenic 10 ug/L, uranium 30 ug/L, fluoride 2 mg/L, manganese 0.3 mg/L, nitrate 10 mg/L, nitrite 1 mg/L). Towns with too few tests are suppressed (NR). Only the share above the guideline and wells tested are published; no medians. Retrieved September 3, 2026.
- Maine Geological Survey well database: 371 well records in Belgrade, 368 domestic. Well construction records reported to the Maine Geological Survey by licensed well drillers. Only aggregates are shown; owner names and addresses are never stored. Retrieved September 3, 2026.
- Maine DEP regulated sites: 10 regulated sites located in Belgrade. Remediation sites, leaking underground storage tanks and closed municipal landfills from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Retrieved September 3, 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.