Residents of Sunrise Serenity mobile home park in Fairfield, Maine have spent nearly three years unable to safely drink, cook with, or bathe in their tap water due to harmful bacteria and "forever chemicals" contamination, even as their rent increased dramatically. The park's water tested positive for coliform bacteria, including E. coli, in May 2023, prompting state officials to issue a boil water order that remains in effect. Additionally, the park's drinking water contained per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), human-made chemicals that don't break down in the environment, at levels of 275 parts per trillion in summer 2023, nearly 14 times greater than Maine's interim safety limit of 20 parts per trillion .

What Happens When a Water System Fails Its Residents?

The consequences of contaminated water extend far beyond the inconvenience of boiling. One mother at Sunrise Serenity stopped letting her children play under a sprinkler or fill kiddie pools during summer because of contamination fears. She sometimes rents a nearby hotel room just so her kids can shower before school. Another resident drives to a truck stop to bathe, while a third has lost three washing machines to the silty, discolored water running through the pipes .

The water quality issues began in May 2023 when Maine designated Sunrise Serenity as a public water system due to its population size, triggering mandatory drinking water testing. Those tests revealed elevated levels of coliform bacteria, a broad family of bacteria that live in intestines and indicate that other harmful pathogens like viruses and parasites may have contaminated the water supply. While most coliform bacteria are harmless, their presence signals a serious problem. E. coli, a specific type of fecal coliform found in the park's water, can cause vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, and fever in humans, with severe infections potentially leading to kidney failure or death .

One month after the coliform discovery, in July 2023, the park tested positive for elevated PFAS levels. These "forever chemicals" are particularly insidious because boiling water, the traditional method residents were told to use, cannot remove them. PFAS are used in everyday products like non-stick cookware and waterproof fabrics and accumulate in the environment and human bodies over time .

How Long Did Regulators Allow the Problem to Continue?

Despite the serious contamination, state records show that the park's owner, C37 Capital LLC registered to Mark Hsu, received at least four extensions to meet deadlines for testing and fixes. It wasn't until the park received nine drinking water rule violation notices that the Maine Department of Health and Human Services intensified oversight in November 2023. The state then proposed an administrative consent order, which Hsu signed in February 2024, agreeing to improve the water system or face a $4,000 fine and legal action .

The state awarded Sunrise Serenity a $249,000 grant in 2024 to install a PFAS filtration system, which was completed in September 2025. According to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Drinking Water Program, the treatment system proved effective, with test results showing no detectable PFAS at the start of 2026. However, residents reported they were never informed of this improvement and continued experiencing water outages throughout March 2026 .

For the coliform bacteria issue, the state required the park to test negative for 12 consecutive months before lifting the boil water order. As of April 2026, the park had tested negative for bacteria in January but still needed to maintain that status for a full year .

How to Protect Yourself When Your Water System Fails

• Use bottled water for drinking and cooking: When a boil water order is in effect or contamination is confirmed, bottled water is the safest option until the system is repaired and certified safe by health officials.
• Install certified water filters: For PFAS and other contaminants, granular activated carbon (GAC) filters have proven effective at removing these chemicals from drinking water, as demonstrated by Indiana American Water's successful treatment systems.
• Monitor official water quality reports: Request your water system's latest test results and stay informed about any contamination notices or boil water orders issued by your local health department.
• Document health impacts: Keep records of any illnesses or appliance damage caused by contaminated water, as this information may be relevant for future claims or regulatory actions.
• Report problems to authorities: Contact your state's drinking water program or environmental agency if you suspect water contamination; citizen reports often trigger official testing.

The situation at Sunrise Serenity reflects a broader challenge facing small water systems across the country. According to state data from the end of 2025, at least six drinking water systems in Maine still weren't meeting the state's interim PFAS standard of 20 parts per trillion, which has been in effect since 2021. Two other mobile home parks were among those systems, indicating that small residential water systems may be particularly vulnerable to contamination .

Maine's interim PFAS standard will become even stricter in April 2027, when the limit drops to 4 parts per trillion. This tightening reflects growing scientific understanding of PFAS risks and the need for more aggressive water protection measures .

What Are Communities Doing to Address PFAS Contamination?

Beyond Maine, other communities are investing heavily in PFAS treatment infrastructure. Indiana American Water announced in April 2026 that it would construct its second advanced drinking water treatment system designed to remove PFAS at its Terre Haute operations, with an estimated budget of approximately $19 million. This project follows the successful completion of Indiana's first PFAS treatment system in Charlestown, which began operating in November 2025 .

The Terre Haute facility will utilize granular activated carbon (GAC) treatment technology, the same proven method installed at the Charlestown facility. An Indiana State Revolving Fund totaling approximately $14 million will cover a sizable portion of the project's cost, with completion expected in mid-2028. Groundbreaking is scheduled for summer 2026, with construction contractor Reynolds Construction expected to employ 30 to 65 workers during full construction .

"Caring for our customers' health and providing high-quality water is our top priority. This investment in Terre Haute continues the momentum we've established statewide and reflects our commitment to proactively address PFAS and contaminants of emerging concern in the communities we serve," said Barry Suits, President of Indiana American Water.

Barry Suits, President of Indiana American Water

In Florida, community-based water quality monitoring is also expanding. Suncoast Waterkeeper, a nonprofit organization, employs water quality specialists like Peyton Faulk to test for PFAS and other contaminants in drinking water systems. Faulk heads the organization's "Forever Free" program, which works directly with residents to test their tap water and install certified filters if needed. The program initially focused on North Port, Florida, where research suggested high PFAS concentrations, and has since expanded to the City of Bradenton .

The Sunrise Serenity situation also highlights the financial burden placed on residents when water systems fail. In addition to purchasing bottled water and replacing damaged appliances, residents' lot rent increased as much as 50 percent since 2023, with an additional 25 percent increase since 2025, according to financial statements provided by three residents. This means families dealing with unsafe water are simultaneously facing significant cost increases, compounding the hardship .

The lack of communication from park management has added to residents' frustration. Neither the park's owner nor the management company responded to requests for comment over a four-week period. Residents reported that despite the installation of the PFAS treatment system and improved test results, they were never officially notified that the contamination had been reduced, leaving them uncertain about water safety even as conditions improved .

For residents enduring water crises like the one at Sunrise Serenity, the path forward requires both immediate protective measures and long-term system improvements. Until water systems are fully repaired and certified safe, relying on bottled water, using certified filters, and staying informed through official channels remains essential for protecting health and holding utilities accountable.