Well water in Paris, Maine
In Paris, 13% of 94 private wells tested had uranium above the Maine guideline (30 ug/L), according to Maine CDC.
165 private wells tested in state summaries; 32 individual samples from 14 wells, 1976 to 1981. Data refreshed September 3, 2026.
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 Paris. 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic 1977 to 1981 | 14 | 93% | 21% | 1 | 20 | 10 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Copper 1977 to 1981 | 17 | 100% | 0% | 0 | 0.63 | 1.3 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Chloride 1976 to 1981 | 32 | 100% | no limit | 7.7 | 380 | 250 mg/L nuisance level |
Sampled fewer than 10 times, too few to summarize: Nitrate (8), Lead (4), Fluoride (2), Sodium (3), Manganese (3), Iron (1).
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What this means
Among homeowners in Paris who sent a sample to the state lab, the health-based limits most often exceeded were uranium (13% of 94 wells), arsenic (6% of 117 wells), and fluoride (1% of 165 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 Paris
- PFAS2 unlined landfills on record locally.
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)2 unlined landfills on record locally.
- Metals panel7 hazardous waste sites on record locally.
- Uranium13% of 94 local wells tested were above the Maine guideline.
- Manganese5% of 112 local wells tested were above the Maine guideline.
- Fluoride1% of 165 local wells tested were above the Maine guideline.
- Nitrate<1% of 129 local wells tested were above the Maine guideline.
- Coliform bacteriaRecommended for every private well, every year.
- CopperDetected in 100% of local samples.
- ChlorideDetected in 100% of local samples.
- IronDetected in 100% of local samples.
Wells in Paris
279 domestic wells in Paris are on record with the state since 1985. 100% are drilled into bedrock, and the typical well is 342 feet deep (one in ten goes past 520 feet).
In a typical Paris well, bedrock starts about 18 feet down, the median yield is 5.5 gallons per minute, 25% 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 Paris
Maine DEP records 2 unlined landfills and 7 hazardous waste sites in Paris, among 18 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.
- 2
- unlined landfillsOlder unlined landfills are a leading source of PFAS, VOCs and metals in nearby wells.
- 7
- hazardous waste sitesSolvents, degreasers and metals from industrial sites can travel far in fractured bedrock.
- 9
- other remediation projects
Treatment that fits the local profile
- Uranium
- Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Anion exchange; Whole-house anion exchange
- Arsenic
- Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Adsorptive media (iron-based) whole-house; Anion exchange
- Copper
- Neutralizing filter to raise pH; Point-of-use reverse osmosis
- Chloride
- Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Distillation
- Manganese
- Oxidizing filter (greensand, birm) whole-house; Water softener (low levels); Point-of-use reverse osmosis
- Iron
- Oxidizing filter whole-house; Water softener (low levels); Aeration plus filtration
Book a free water test in Paris
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 Paris?
The typical domestic well in Paris is 342 feet deep, based on 279 wells reported to the state since 1985. One in ten is deeper than 520 feet. 100% are drilled into bedrock.
Is there arsenic in well water in Paris?
Arsenic was detected in 93% of 14 public well samples in Paris, and 21% 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 Paris?
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
- USGS Water Quality Portal: 84 samples in Paris. 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 Paris, up to 165 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: 279 well records in Paris, 279 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: 18 regulated sites located in Paris. 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.