Well Water Nerd

Well water in Corinna, Maine

In Corinna, 17% of 46 private wells tested had arsenic above the Maine guideline (10 ug/L), according to Maine CDC.

65 private wells tested in state summaries; 44 individual samples from 44 wells, 1999 to 2026. 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, 27% of 44 PFOA results in Corinna were above the EPA limit of 4 ng/L. In that targeted sampling, 9% of 44 PFOS results in Corinna 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.

ContaminantWells testedAbove state levelMedian95th pctHighestState level
Arsenic4617%10 ug/L
Nitrate653%10 mg/L
Manganese442%300 ug/L
Nitrite650%1 mg/L
Fluoride520%2 mg/L
Uranium360%30 ug/L

What individual samples found

Each row summarizes every public sample for that contaminant inside Corinna. 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.

ContaminantSamplesDetectedAbove limitMedianHighestLimit
PFOA
2022 to 2026
4457%27%0.4083214 ng/L
EPA limit
PFOS
2022 to 2026
4441%9%019.44 ng/L
EPA limit
PFHxS
2022 to 2026
4423%0%04.4110 ng/L
EPA limit
PFNA
2022 to 2026
4411%0%09.5310 ng/L
EPA limit

Sampled fewer than 10 times, too few to summarize: Radium (226 + 228) (4), Arsenic (2), Uranium (2), Nitrate (2), Copper (2), Chloride (2), Radon (2), Manganese (1).

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What this means

Among homeowners in Corinna who sent a sample to the state lab, the health-based limits most often exceeded were arsenic (17% of 46 wells) and nitrate (3% of 65 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 Corinna

  • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)5 leaking underground storage tank sites on record locally.
  • PFAS1 unlined landfill on record locally.
  • Metals panel2 hazardous waste sites on record locally.
  • PFOA27% of 44 local samples were above the limit.
  • Arsenic17% of 46 local wells tested were above the Maine guideline.
  • PFOS9% of 44 local samples were above the limit.
  • Nitrate3% of 65 local wells tested were above the Maine guideline.
  • Manganese2% of 44 local wells tested were above the Maine guideline.
  • Coliform bacteriaRecommended for every private well, every year.
  • RadonMedian local reading is 775 pCi/L.
  • CopperDetected in 100% of local samples.

Wells in Corinna

163 domestic wells in Corinna are on record with the state since 1971. 100% are drilled into bedrock, and the typical well is 240 feet deep (one in ten goes past 517 feet).

In a typical Corinna well, bedrock starts about 6 feet down, the median yield is 4 gallons per minute, 35% 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.

5
1970s
19
1980s
14
1990s
51
2000s
21
2010s
37
2020s

Contamination sources on record in Corinna

Maine DEP records 5 leaking underground storage tank sites, 1 unlined landfill, and 2 hazardous waste sites in Corinna, among 9 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.
1
unlined landfillOlder unlined landfills are a leading source of PFAS, VOCs and metals in nearby wells.
2
hazardous waste sitesSolvents, degreasers and metals from industrial sites can travel far in fractured bedrock.
1
other remediation project

Treatment that fits the local profile

Arsenic
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Adsorptive media (iron-based) whole-house; Anion exchange
PFOA
Granular activated carbon whole-house; Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Anion exchange
PFOS
Granular activated carbon whole-house; Point-of-use reverse osmosis; 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

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Common questions

How deep are wells in Corinna?

The typical domestic well in Corinna is 240 feet deep, based on 163 wells reported to the state since 1971. One in ten is deeper than 517 feet. 100% are drilled into bedrock.

Is there arsenic in well water in Corinna?

Arsenic was detected in 50% of 2 public well samples in Corinna, and 0% 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 Corinna?

The median radon level across 2 public samples in Corinna was 775 pCi/L, with a high of 1,040 pCi/L. New Hampshire recommends treatment above 2,000 pCi/L.

How often should I test a private well in Corinna?

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: 176 samples in Corinna. PFAS results for private wells sampled by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Retrieved September 3, 2026.
  • USGS Water Quality Portal: 17 samples in Corinna. 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 Corinna, up to 65 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: 172 well records in Corinna, 163 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: 9 regulated sites located in Corinna. 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.