A national advocacy group says federal limits for three carcinogens found in tap water from public systems in Maine and across the U.S. are too low. Water districts say it’s not fair to expect ratepayers to fund improvements to meet its lower recommended levels.
water pollution
Over 50 Maine beaches tested positive for potentially unsafe contamination levels last year
A nationwide study also found that 15 of the beaches had potentially unsafe levels of fecal bacteria on more than 25% of the days they were tested.
Hallowell volunteers survey ‘threatened’ Vaughan Brook watershed
Recent testing found Vaughan Brook does not meet water quality standards for aquatic life and dissolved oxygen, thanks largely to increased pressure from development.
Toxic foam spreads to pond in wake of Brunswick chemical spill
Foam has been building up in ponds and billowing through the air near Brunswick Landing since 1,600 gallons of fire-suppressing chemical was accidentally released Monday.
Volume of Maine’s storm and sewage overflows more than doubled in 2023
Heavy rains coming in back-to-back storms, sometimes when the ground was frozen, contributed to high levels of untreated storm and sewer water being washed in Maine’s rivers and bays last year, resulting in shellfish bed and beach closures.
Wiscasset mobile home park gets a new well after seven months of ongoing water issues
Contractors began drilling a new well at Whippoorwill Hill Park on Thursday after the state pressured the property management company into resolving ongoing water shortages.
Maine Gardener: Try live staking to prevent runoff from harming lakes, ponds and streams
If you own waterfront property, consider creating a buffer zone. It’ll help curb pollution.
Maine Gardener: Preventing pollution should be top of mind when making yardscaping plans
Supporting native insects is another important consideration.
EPA finalizes water rule that repeals Trump-era changes
The regulations protect hundreds of thousands of small streams, wetlands and other waterways, repealing a Trump-era rule that federal courts had thrown out and that environmentalists said left waterways vulnerable to pollution.
Maine Voices: Don’t dismiss fish farms’ threat to our state’s coastal waters
Based on the risks to water quality and sea life, an application for two 60-acre salmon farms off Bar Harbor should be rejected.