Blue Hill Hospital finds elevated PFAS levels in well water

Water remediation efforts are underway

July 25, 2026

By Staff

BLUE HILL—Northern Light Blue Hill Hospital is making bottled water available for patients and staff and is bringing in a tanker truck which will pipe water directly into the hospital after recent well water tests showed levels of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, over the Maine State Drinking Water Program guidelines. According to a press release, the tests found PFAS levels at 20.1 ppt—parts per trillion—whereas the current state guidance is to conduct remediation for anything over 20 ppt. 

“While this type of well does not currently have regulatory requirements or interim guidelines, we felt it was important to take action now,” Tim Doak, vice president of facilities, said in the release. “We are taking immediate steps to implement a short-term fix and a long-term solution that ensures our staff and patients have access to clean water, regardless of how small the potential risk.” 

In addition to bringing in water as a short term solution, the hospital is working with a Maine based company that specializes in water remediation to design and implement a remediation system, the release said.