Ensuring Water QualityThe Belfast Water District
uses ground water as its water sources. There are two gravel packed wells
located in the Goose River Aquifer in Swanville and Belfast. These wells have
been in production since the 1950’s and provide a reliable source of supply. The
wells are protected by the
Aquifer/Watershed Overlay District Ordinance adopted by the City of Belfast
in 1990. The original source of water for Belfast was the
Little River located south of the city. Use of this supply was discontinued in
the early 1980’s.
To ensure the quality of your source water, the treatment techniques used by
this water utility include chemical enhancement for corrosion control.
Maintaining the proper pH and the addition of sodium hydroxide (25% solution)
which is a corrosion control chemical, to the water helps us maintain acceptable
levels. This helps protect our distribution system and your home’s plumbing
system from the affects of lead and copper. This treatment has been so effective
that our annual monitoring program for lead and copper levels has been reduced
to once every three years under EPA’s guidelines. Fluoride is added to prevent
tooth decay. Fluoridation was authorized by referendum ballot on March 14, 1960.
Also, chlorine levels are continuously monitored and controlled to insure
adequate disinfection has occurred prior to delivery to you. In addition, sodium
hypochlorite 12 ½% is added to the water at a continuously monitored and
controlled rate to insure adequate disinfection of the water has occurred prior
to delivery to you.
The water supply and distribution system includes over 39 miles of water mains.
The system has the capacity to maintain 3,050,000 gallons of water in four
storage tanks. This storage allows us to meet peak system demand periods and
maintain adequate supply during fire fighting activities.
2021 PFAS (Perfluoroalkyl substances)
Testing Results:
Smart Road Well -
Jackson Pit Well
All water utilities in the State of Maine must perform
PFAS tests by December 31, 2022. PFAS (Perfluoroalkyl substances), known as the
'forever chemical,' is a large group of man-made chemicals used worldwide in
industry and consumer products since the 1950s. Some examples are farms that
spread sludge and items that have fire retardants in them. PFAS do not occur
naturally but are widespread in the environment.
2005 Talbot
Well Water Quality Testing and Final Approval from the Maine Drinking Water
Program
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