|

Today, the Maine CDC rapidly responded to the release of sludge and arsenic contamination in the Lisbon Public Drinking Water System. 

In response, Defend Our Health’s President and CEO, Emily Carey Perez de Alejo, stated: 

“While Mainers may be familiar with wastewater sludge (“biosolids”) contaminated with PFAS that were historically spread on Maine’s farmland and have caused significant PFAS contamination to our farms and drinking water supplies, the sludge in today’s release is from materials removed from drinking water, not wastewater. Due to Maine’s unique geology, Maine’s groundwater is naturally high in arsenic. Arsenic is a toxic contaminant that can cause several health issues, including impaired cognitive development in children, heart disease, and increased rates of certain types of cancer. Arsenic must be removed from public drinking water systems. 

The removal process that renders drinking water safe also creates a concentrated sludge heavily contaminated with arsenic. Residents impacted by this spill are urged to follow state guidance on when tap water will be safe to drink again. For those not directly impacted by today’s spill, including those on residential wells, we urge residents to test their household wells for arsenic and take advantage of available state resources to treat their drinking water to safe levels if arsenic contamination is found. Defend Our Health also encourages the State to take swift action to update Maine’s maximum contaminant level for arsenic in drinking water from 10ppb to 5ppb to align with current scientific evidence and to ensure our drinking water standard is health protective.”