Is New Castle, DE Tap Water Safe? Quality & Contaminants

What was found in New Castle's water

The highest level seen across the city's suppliers, the EPA limit for each, and where the figure comes from.

Contaminant	Level vs EPA limit	Suppliers	Source
Nitrate	4400 µg/L 44% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L	2/5	SYR4
Nitrate-Nitrite	4400 µg/L 44% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L	2/5	SYR4
Fluoride	1510 µg/L 38% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L	2/5	SYR4
Copper	780 µg/L 60% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L	2/5	SYR4
Lead	160 µg/L 1067% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 µg/L	2/5	SYR4
Barium	132.2 µg/L 6.6% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L	2/5	SYR4
TTHM	94.4 µg/L 118% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 80 µg/L	2/5	SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	71.1 µg/L 118% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 60 µg/L	2/5	SYR4
Chloroform	70.2 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/5	SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid	43.8 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/5	SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid	29 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/5	SYR4
Bromodichloromethane	20.8 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/5	SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid	13.4 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/5	SYR4
Gross Beta Particle Activity	13 pCi/L No EPA limit set	1/5	SYR4
Dibromochloromethane	7.4 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/5	SYR4
Selenium	4.7 µg/L 9.4% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
Combined Radium (-226 And -228)	4.46 pCi/L 89% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L	2/5	SYR4
Chromium	3.2 µg/L 3.2% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid	2 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/5	SYR4
Bromoform	1.95 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/5	SYR4
Monobromoacetic Acid	1.24 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/5	SYR4
Tetrachloroethylene	0.8500 µg/L 17% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
Arsenic	0.8000 µg/L 8% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L	2/5	SYR4
Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate	0.6100 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
2,4-D	0.2130 µg/L 0.3% of the EPA limit 70 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
Dalapon	0.1820 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
Pfba	0.1472 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/5	UCMR-5
Pfpea	0.1229 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/5	UCMR-5
Atrazine	0.1000 µg/L 3.3% of the EPA limit 3 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
Simazine	0.0900 µg/L 2.3% of the EPA limit 4 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
Di(2-ethylhexyl) Adipate	0.0880 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 400 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
Pfhxa	0.0317 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/5	UCMR-5
Pfhpa	0.0277 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/5	UCMR-5
PFOA	0.0244 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/5	UCMR-5
PFNA	0.0116 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/5	UCMR-5
Lead	0.0070 mg/L 47% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L	5/5	LCR
Pfda	0.0047 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/5	UCMR-5
Pfuna	0.0038 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/5	UCMR-5
PFBS	0.0037 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/5	UCMR-5

Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a running annual average while the figure is the single worst sample on record — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a violation. Formal violations are listed separately. These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide average. A detection means the lab measured the substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.

Water suppliers serving New Castle

Supplier	Population served
VEOLIA WATER DELAWARE, INC	100,495
MUNICIPAL SERVICES COMMISSION	5,549
HUNTERS RUN	683
KINGSMILL	381
GLASGOW PINES II	235

Frequently asked questions about New Castle tap water

Is New Castle tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 39 contaminants in the water serving New Castle. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.

How many water suppliers serve New Castle?

5 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for New Castle, Delaware to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.

What contaminants are in New Castle's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in New Castle include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Fluoride, Copper, Lead. The full list, with the highest level found and the data source, is in the table above.

Where does this data come from?

Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.