Maine Residents Face Health Uncertainty Amid PFAS Water Contamination

In central Maine, residents are grappling with health concerns after discovering PFAS contamination in their well water. These persistent “forever chemicals,” found in numerous industrial and household products, have been linked to cancer, developmental issues, liver damage, and weakened immunity. Since learning about their high PFAS exposure in 2020, Lawrence and Penny Higgins have struggled to access medical advice or testing, pushing them to join efforts examining the mental health toll of toxic exposure. Dr. Rachel Criswell, a local physician, is working to raise awareness among healthcare providers and expand access to PFAS testing, following 2022 guidance from the National Academies. Proposed legislation in Maine seeks to mandate insurance coverage for PFAS blood tests as preventive care. Despite near-universal exposure in the U.S., individuals living near sludge-treated farmland, factories, or military sites often bear a heavier burden — yet continue to face inadequate clinical support and lingering uncertainty about long-term health effects.

21-07-2025