PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 10, 2025
It’s official: all of Maine is now in a drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Since it began in early August in southern Maine, the drought has spread across all 32,500 square miles of the state and affects all of its 1.3 million residents, according to Thursday’s update, which is based on data collected through Tuesday and does not include Wednesday’s rainfall. As the drought has deepened, the number of people reporting dry or nearly dry private wells in 2025 has increased. About half of Maine residents get their drinking water from a well.