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Drinking Water Contaminants

Regulated Contaminants in Drinking Water

Complete list of contaminants regulated by the Maine Drinking Water Program

Microorganisms

  • Total Coliform
  • E. coli
  • Cryptosporidium
  • Giardia lamblia
  • Heterotrophic bacteria/ Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC)
  • Legionella
  • Viruses
  • Turbidity

Inorganic Chemicals (IOC)

  • Antimony
  • Arsenic
  • Asbestos
  • Barium
  • Beryllium
  • Cadmium
  • Chromium (Total)
  • Copper
  • Cyanide
  • Fluoride
  • Lead
  • Mercury
  • Nickel (No federal regulation, but may require treatment)
  • Nitrates (Measured as Nitrogen)
  • Nitrites (Measured as Nitrogen)
  • Selenium
  • Thallium

Radionuclides (RAD)

  • Gross Alpha
  • Uranium
  • Combined Radium (226 & 228)
  • Radon

Disinfectants and Disinfection By-products (DBP)

  • Bromate
  • Chloramines
  • Chlorine
  • Chlorine Dioxide
  • Chlorite
  • Ozone
  • Total Organic Carbon (TOC)
  • Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
  • Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM)

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)

  • 1,1,1-Trichloroethane
  • 1,1,2-Trichloroethane
  • 1,1-Dichloroethylene
  • 1,2,4- Trichlorobenzene
  • 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (Statewide waiver)
  • 1,2-Dichloroethane
  • 1,2-Dichloropropane
  • Benzene
  • Carbon Tetrachloride
  • Chlorobenzene
  • Cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene
  • Dichloromethane
  • Ethylbenzene
  • Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether-MTBE (Maine-regulated)
  • o-Dichlorobenzene
  • p-Dichlorobenzene
  • Styrene
  • Tetrachloroethylene
  • Toluene
  • Trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene
  • Trichloroethylene
  • Vinyl chloride
  • Xylenes (total)

Synthetic Organic Chemicals (SOC)

  • 2,4,5 -- TP (Silvex)
  • 2, 4-D
  • Acrylamide
  • Alachlor (Lasso)
  • Atrazine
  • Benzo(a)pyrene (PAHs) (Waived unless facility uses and/or stores concrete, asphalt, tar, or coal, or has incinerators)
  • Carbofuran
  • Chlordane
  • Dalapon
  • Di (2-ethylhexyl) adipate
  • Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
  • Dinoseb
  • Dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD) (Statewide waiver)
  • Diquat
  • Endothall
  • Endrin
  • Epichlorohydrin
  • Ethylene dibromide (Statewide waiver)
  • Glyphosate (Statewide waiver)
  • Heptachlor
  • Heptachlor epoxide
  • Hexachlorobenzene
  • Hexachlorocyclopentadiene
  • Hexazanone/ Velpar (Maine-regulated)
  • Lindane (BHC gamma)
  • Methoxychlor
  • Oxamyl (Vydate)
  • Pentachlorophenol (Can be waived unless a woodworking facility is nearby)
  • Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
  • Picloram
  • Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
  • Simazine
  • Toxaphene

Water Quality Parameters (WQP)

  • Alkalinity
  • Calcium
  • Orthophosphate
  • pH
  • Silica