Water Quality

eagle lake bar harbor water sourceBar Harbor’s water is drawn from Eagle Lake in Acadia National Park. We serve a population of 4,625 through 1,850 service connections. We treat the water with:

  • chlorine to protect against potential bacteriological contaminants
  • fluoride to promote dental health
  • lime for pH adjustment for corrosion control

In May 2009, our system added chloramines by means of ammonia for additional treatment in an effort to reduce Disinfection By-Products. Due to the exceptional water quality of our source, our water system has a filtration waiver.

Bar Harbor Water Division routinely monitors for contaminants in your drinking water according to Federal and State laws.

In 2023, due to efforts to protect the water supply, our system was granted a 'Synthetic Organics Waiver.' This is a three-year exemption from the monitoring/reporting requirements for the following industrial chemical(s): toxaphene/chlordane/PCB, herbicides, carbamate pesticides and semi-volatile organics. This waiver was granted due to the absence of these potential sources of contamination within a half-mile radius of the water source.

Annual Water Quality Report

Here is our 2024 water quality report PDF. Check out reports for prior years. 

Bar Harbor Water Flushing Programhydrant-small

Bar Harbor Water routinely flushes select water services lines to help ensure water quality. Flushing helps clean the water lines and remove any sediment. We typically flush these lines in the spring and the fall. In addition to improving water quality, flushing water lines also ensures fire hydrants are operational. If a customer experiences water discoloration when we flush water lines, please run the cold water faucet for 15 minutes to clear the line.