Well water testing in Manchester, Maine
If your Manchester home is on a private well, testing is up to you. Maine doesn't regulate private wells. Below is what the state lab found when 207 Manchester well owners tested for arsenic, where to drop off a sample, and a free 60-second checkup.
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What the state lab found in Manchester wells
Arsenic: 57% of 207 tested wells in Manchester were above Maine's guideline. That is about 2 times the Kennebec County rate (28.1%). The middle result was 13 µg/L, and 1 in 20 tested wells came in at 92 µg/L or higher. Comes from bedrock. You can't taste, smell, or see it.
Uranium: 14.2% of 169 tested wells in Manchester were above Maine's guideline. That is about 2.5 times the Kennebec County rate (5.8%). The middle result was 1.6 µg/L, and 1 in 20 tested wells came in at 94 µg/L or higher. Comes from bedrock, often granite. No taste or smell.
| Tested for | Wells tested | Above Maine's guideline | Maine's guideline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic | 207 | 57% | 10 µg/L |
| Uranium | 169 | 14.2% | 30 µg/L |
| Fluoride | 207 | 4.3% | 2 mg/L |
| Manganese | 188 | 3.7% | 0.3 mg/L |
| Chloride | 114 | 0.9% | 250 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 217 | 0% | 10 mg/L |
Wells whose owners chose to test at Maine's state lab (HETL): a voluntary sample, not a prediction about any one well. Neighbors can test very differently. No rate is shown when fewer than 20 wells were tested. Source: Maine Tracking Network (Maine CDC), data updated 5/2023
Not in this data: bacteria and radon in water. Maine does not publish those results by town or county. Maine CDC still recommends testing every well for bacteria every year and for radon every 3 to 5 years.
PFAS in Manchester
Maine DEP's PFAS well table does not list any sampling tied to Manchester. That does not mean there is no PFAS in Manchester wells. It only means DEP has not reported testing there.
Source: Maine DEP, PFAS private well results by town (preliminary; DEP is still adding results; read November 2026).
What Maine recommends for every well
Maine CDC says to test every private well each year for bacteria and nitrate, and every 3 to 5 years for a full panel that includes arsenic, uranium, radon, and lead. Retest after flooding, well or pump work, or any change in taste, smell, or color. The Kennebec County page has the full schedule and the rules for home sales and rentals.
Area-level information cannot determine what is in a specific household's well. Only a properly collected laboratory sample can tell you what's in your water. This page is educational; see the disclaimer.
Parts of central Maine are within Maine DEP's PFAS (sludge-spreading) investigation area. Check the DEP map if your property is near historically licensed spreading sites.
Nearest sample drop-off locations to Manchester
- The Mailing Center — 126 Western Ave., Augusta, ME · Directions
Bacteria samples must reach the lab within about 30 hours of collection. Confirm timing: (207) 747-1815.
Buying or selling in Manchester?
FHA loans require a water test for coliform, nitrate, nitrite, and lead; VA and USDA follow the local health authority. Maine sellers must disclose the date of the last water test. The checkup has a transaction mode that walks through it.