Well Water Nerd

Well water in Newfield, Maine

In Newfield, 26% of 38 private wells tested had arsenic above the Maine guideline (10 ug/L), according to Maine CDC.

39 private wells tested in state summaries; 10 individual samples from 10 wells, 1977 to 2024. 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, 10% of 10 PFOS results in Newfield were above the EPA limit of 4 ng/L. In that targeted sampling, 0% of 10 PFHxS results in Newfield were above the EPA limit of 10 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
Arsenic3826%10 ug/L
Manganese326%300 ug/L
Fluoride393%2 mg/L
Nitrate393%10 mg/L
Nitrite390%1 mg/L
Uranium340%30 ug/L

What individual samples found

Each row summarizes every public sample for that contaminant inside Newfield. 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
PFOS
2024
1010%10%04.514 ng/L
EPA limit
PFHxS
2024
100%0%0010 ng/L
EPA limit
PFOA
2024
1010%0%00.2634 ng/L
EPA limit
PFNA
2024
100%0%0010 ng/L
EPA limit

Sampled fewer than 10 times, too few to summarize: Nitrate (3), Chloride (2), Manganese (1), Sodium (1).

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What this means

Among homeowners in Newfield who sent a sample to the state lab, the health-based limits most often exceeded were arsenic (26% of 38 wells), fluoride (3% of 39 wells), and nitrate (3% of 39 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 Newfield

  • PFAS1 unlined landfill on record locally.
  • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)1 unlined landfill on record locally.
  • Arsenic26% of 38 local wells tested were above the Maine guideline.
  • PFOS10% of 10 local samples were above the limit.
  • Manganese6% of 32 local wells tested were above the Maine guideline.
  • Fluoride3% of 39 local wells tested were above the Maine guideline.
  • Nitrate3% of 39 local wells tested were above the Maine guideline.
  • Coliform bacteriaRecommended for every private well, every year.
  • ChlorideDetected in 100% of local samples.

Wells in Newfield

291 domestic wells in Newfield are on record with the state since 1970. 100% are drilled into bedrock, and the typical well is 325 feet deep (one in ten goes past 500 feet).

In a typical Newfield well, bedrock starts about 22 feet down, the median yield is 6 gallons per minute, 24% 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.

7
1970s
29
1980s
47
1990s
82
2000s
48
2010s
76
2020s

Contamination sources on record in Newfield

Maine DEP records 1 unlined landfill in Newfield, among 2 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.

1
unlined landfillOlder unlined landfills are a leading source of PFAS, VOCs and metals in nearby wells.
1
other remediation project

Treatment that fits the local profile

Arsenic
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Adsorptive media (iron-based) whole-house; Anion exchange
Manganese
Oxidizing filter (greensand, birm) whole-house; Water softener (low levels); Point-of-use reverse osmosis
PFOS
Granular activated carbon whole-house; Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Anion exchange
Chloride
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Distillation

Book a free water test in Newfield

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.

What are you worried about?

The test is free and there is no obligation. Your details go only to the company named above, and we log the time and address of this request.

Common questions

How deep are wells in Newfield?

The typical domestic well in Newfield is 325 feet deep, based on 291 wells reported to the state since 1970. One in ten is deeper than 500 feet. 100% are drilled into bedrock.

How often should I test a private well in Newfield?

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: 40 samples in Newfield. PFAS results for private wells sampled by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Retrieved September 3, 2026.
  • USGS Water Quality Portal: 7 samples in Newfield. 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 Newfield, up to 39 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: 294 well records in Newfield, 291 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: 2 regulated sites located in Newfield. 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.