“Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink.” ~Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Located approximately 30 minutes east of Bangor, Otis is home to approximately 700 full-time residents that occupy it’s humble surroundings. However, an evil danger lurks just beneath the surface seeping into its citizens well water. Topping a recent study of arsenic and fluoride contanimation levels, nearly 70% of the town’s wells exceed state guidelines for maximum levels of Arsenic and Fluoride, potentially earning the quaint town the title of Maine’s most dangerous town. Long-term ingestion of arsenic may include (but not limited to); developmental effects, neurotoxicity, diabetes, pulmonary disease and cardiovascular disease, while severe cases may even result in death.
## Selecting by Percent_Wells_Over_Guidelines| Place | Total_Wells_Tested | Percent_Wells_Over_Guidelines |
|---|---|---|
| Otis | 56 | 69.6 |
| Manchester | 276 | 62.0 |
| Surry | 178 | 59.0 |
| Blue Hill | 225 | 54.7 |
| Mercer | 32 | 53.1 |
| Monmouth | 282 | 51.8 |
| Gorham | 460 | 50.9 |
| Sedgwick | 142 | 48.6 |
| Hallowell | 62 | 46.8 |
| Winthrop | 438 | 46.6 |
| Eliot | 78 | 46.2 |
| Orland | 137 | 46.0 |
| Columbia | 48 | 45.8 |
| Owls Head | 78 | 44.9 |
| Litchfield | 264 | 43.6 |
| Hollis | 138 | 43.5 |
| Mariaville | 35 | 42.9 |
| Rangeley | 115 | 42.6 |
| Readfield | 348 | 42.2 |
| Buxton | 358 | 41.6 |
By taking two separate data sets as provided from the state of Maine officials, researchers combined both Arsenic and Fluoride data results to uncover what percentage of total wells were contaminated above state thresholds per town
As state officials begin to investigate the practices of Otis’ well maintenance, scientists and health experts are strongly urging residents to move to any of the following towns (listed below) whose well water falls furthest below state guidelines for arsenic and fluoride contamination levels - to 0% contamination levels.
## Selecting by Percent_Wells_Over_Guidelines| Place | Total_Wells_Tested | Percent_Wells_Over_Guidelines |
|---|---|---|
| Andover | 30 | 0 |
| Arrowsic | 45 | 0 |
| Bethel | 88 | 0 |
| Boothbay Harbor | 24 | 0 |
| Canton | 26 | 0 |
| Caribou | 44 | 0 |
| Carthage | 22 | 0 |
| Cranberry Isles | 20 | 0 |
| Damariscotta | 71 | 0 |
| Dixfield | 62 | 0 |
| Eagle Lake | 22 | 0 |
| Edgecomb | 74 | 0 |
| Fort Fairfield | 21 | 0 |
| Hudson | 56 | 0 |
| Industry | 22 | 0 |
| Lubec | 38 | 0 |
| Madawaska | 30 | 0 |
| Mapleton | 28 | 0 |
| Mexico | 36 | 0 |
| Newburgh | 48 | 0 |
| Pittsfield | 25 | 0 |
| Presque Isle | 39 | 0 |
| Sangerville | 27 | 0 |
| Southport | 40 | 0 |
| Wallagrass | 26 | 0 |
| Westport Island | 58 | 0 |
| Woodville | 22 | 0 |