South Portland
South Portland, ME water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
South Portland is a small but growing city and the 5th-largest in Maine, home to roughly 25,556 residents. South Portland's drinking water comes largely from the same regional sources that serve Maine: rivers, lakes, and groundwater.
As elsewhere in Maine, the central challenge is pfas contamination. Maine has been a national focal point for PFAS contamination, particularly on farmland spread with biosolids.
Maine reuses an estimated 3% of its treated wastewater and maintains minimal reuse programs; South Portland tracks abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions on the U.S. Drought Monitor scale.
Explore the Maine profile for statewide context, or dig into the water issues shaping South Portland below.
At a glance
- Population ~25,556 (5th-largest in Maine)
- Primary sources: rivers, lakes, and groundwater
- Drought: abnormally dry to moderate conditions
- State reuse rate: ~3% of wastewater
Statewide drought history
% of Maine in severe+ drought (Moderate (D1) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in South Portland?
South Portland is served by community water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Statewide, 22.6% of Maine's systems have a recent health-based violation. Check your provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report for local results.
Where does South Portland get its water?
South Portland draws from the same regional sources that serve Maine: rivers, lakes, groundwater.
Related water issues
PFAS Contamination
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances persist in water supplies for decades. New federal limits are forcing utilities nationwide to invest in advanced treatment.
ExploreAging Infrastructure
Much of America's water infrastructure is decades past its design life, leaking trillions of gallons a year and demanding hundreds of billions in reinvestment.
Explore