States › Maine

Maine Tap Water Quality 2026

EPA drinking water data for 285 cities across Maine — covering lead levels, violation history, and compliance status.

Systems tracked: 200 Cities covered: 285 Updated: 2026 Q2
A

Maine earns an A for overall water quality

285 communities across 16 counties and 200 water systems. 97.5% have no open violations.

Median lead where detected: 2.10 ppb
18.2% of systems report lead as not detected — a state filing convention, not a water quality measure
PFAS tested at 25.3% of communities; 1 above the federal limit
Lead reported for 100.0% of communities
97.5% of communities have no open violations
Water Systems
200
Active community systems
Median Lead Level
2.1 ppb
14% of EPA action level
Fully Compliant
97.5%
of systems — no active violations
How we grade states Grades are based on actual EPA enforcement data — MCL violations and lead levels measured against the 15 ppb federal action level. We do not use MCLG-based detections, which are aspirational zero-tolerance goals that would make nearly every state look dangerous. Read our full methodology →

Best & Worst Cities in Maine

✓ Cleanest Water
South Thomaston
Knox County
4.5 ppb A
Appleton
Knox County
0.5 ppb B
Crystal
Aroostook County
2.4 ppb B
New Canada
Aroostook County
1.1 ppb B
Leeds
Androscoggin County
0.0 ppb B
Medway
Penobscot County
2.8 ppb B
⚠ Needs Attention
Woodstock
Oxford County
3.1 ppb F
West Paris
Oxford County
3.1 ppb F
Glenburn
Penobscot County
3.2 ppb F
The Forks plantation
Somerset County
1.3 ppb F
Canton
Oxford County
3.1 ppb D
Jonesport
Washington County
0.7 ppb D

Water Quality by County

16 of 16
Sort:
CountySystemsLead LevelViolationsGrade
Penobscot County 33 2.8 ppb 0 A
York County 26 2.0 ppb 0 A
Aroostook County 25 2.5 ppb 0 A
Cumberland County 24 1.9 ppb 0 A
Kennebec County 22 1.9 ppb 0 A
Washington County 21 1.8 ppb 0 A
Oxford County 20 3.1 ppb 0 B
Somerset County 19 2.0 ppb 0 B
Waldo County 16 2.8 ppb 0 A
Hancock County 15 2.9 ppb 0 A

About Maine Drinking Water

Maine is served by 200 community water systems covering 285 communities across 16 counties. 97.5% have no open violation on record.

Lead was detected in 233 communities, with a median of 2.10 ppb — 14% of the federal action level. A further 52 reported none detected. That share is a state reporting convention rather than a measure of water quality, so it is stated separately rather than averaged in.

PFAS has been tested at 25.3% of communities here, and 1 are above the limits EPA set in 2024. Coverage matters: states that test more find more, so this figure is not comparable with a state that has tested less.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Maine tap water safe to drink? ▼
97.5% of communities have no open violation on record. 1 have PFAS above the federal limit set in 2024, which is the main open concern.
Does Maine have a lead problem? ▼
3 water systems report a 90th-percentile lead result at or above the 15 ppb action level. The action level is a treatment trigger, not a legal maximum, and 52 communities report no detection at all.
How complete is the data for Maine? ▼
Lead results are reported for 100.0% of communities and PFAS for 25.3%. Where a figure is missing it is shown as not reported rather than assumed safe.
How does Maine compare with other states? ▼
We do not rank states against each other. Lead reporting completeness ranges from under 20% to 100% depending on the state, so a national ranking would compare filing practice rather than water quality.