Every Mainer deserves access to clean, safe drinking water. But according to a newly released national study by the Environmental Working Group, more than 400,000 people in Maine are drinking water contaminated with cancer-linked chemicals like hexavalent chromium, arsenic, and nitrate — sometimes all three at once.

These toxic substances don’t just pose a theoretical risk. Hexavalent chromium, in particular, is a known carcinogen even at very low levels, and it's extremely difficult to remove without advanced treatment. Yet there is still no national safety standard for hexavalent chromium in drinking water.

What’s worse: the EPA currently evaluates these contaminants one by one, a fragmented and outdated approach that delays action while people remain exposed. The science is clear: treating these pollutants together — not separately — would be more efficient and could prevent up to 50,000 cancer cases nationwide, according to the report's authors.

We’re calling on the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, the Maine Drinking Water Program, and Governor Janet Mills to take immediate action by:

• Establishing a state-level enforceable limit for hexavalent chromium in public drinking water
• Mandating water utilities to screen for and treat hexavalent chromium, arsenic, and nitrate together, using proven advanced treatment technologies
• Requiring utilities to provide clear and timely public notifications when contaminants are found
• Offering funding and support for small or rural water systems that need help meeting these safety standards

The longer we delay, the more people are exposed to invisible, preventable harm. Sign this petition to demand clean, cancer-free drinking water for all Mainers. Our health and our children’s future depend on it.