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Tap water quality report

Wilmington, DE

EPA monitoring detected 38 contaminants across the 2 water suppliers serving Wilmington. A detection doesn't automatically mean the water is unsafe — see the highest level found for each below, with its EPA source and period.

2
water suppliers
208,471
people served
38
contaminants found
Delaware rankings Lead in Delaware PFAS in Delaware

What was found in Wilmington's water

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

ContaminantLevel vs EPA limitSuppliersSource
Nitrate
3600 µg/L 36%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Nitrate-Nitrite
3600 µg/L 36%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Fluoride
1510 µg/L 38%
of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Copper
780 µg/L 60%
of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
TTHM
132 µg/L 165%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 80 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Chloroform
110 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
90.4 µg/L 151%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 60 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Barium
50.2 µg/L 2.5%
of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid
49.6 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid
32.8 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Lead
28.5 µg/L 190%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Bromodichloromethane
20.8 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid
13.4 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Gross Beta Particle Activity
13 pCi/L
No EPA limit set
 1/2 SYR4
Dibromochloromethane
7.4 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid
3.3 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Chromium
3.2 µg/L 3.2%
of the EPA limit 100 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Monobromoacetic Acid
2.3 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Dalapon
2.2 µg/L 1.1%
of the EPA limit 200 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Bromoform
1.4 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate
0.6100 µg/L 10%
of the EPA limit 6 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Arsenic
0.6000 µg/L 6%
of the EPA limit 10 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Combined Radium (-226 And -228)
0.4900 pCi/L 9.8%
of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L
 2/2 SYR4
2,4-D
0.3000 µg/L 0.4%
of the EPA limit 70 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Atrazine
0.1000 µg/L 3.3%
of the EPA limit 3 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Simazine
0.0900 µg/L 2.3%
of the EPA limit 4 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Di(2-ethylhexyl) Adipate
0.0880 µg/L 0%
of the EPA limit 400 µg/L
 1/2 SYR4
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene
0.0770 µg/L 0.2%
of the EPA limit 50 µg/L
 1/2 SYR4
Pfba
0.0406 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 UCMR-5
Pfpea
0.0322 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 UCMR-5
Pfhxa
0.0317 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 UCMR-5
Pfhpa
0.0277 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 UCMR-5
PFOA
0.0244 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 UCMR-5
PFNA
0.0116 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/2 UCMR-5
Pfda
0.0047 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/2 UCMR-5
Pfuna
0.0038 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/2 UCMR-5
PFBS
0.0037 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 UCMR-5
Lead
0.0020 mg/L 13%
of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L
 2/2 LCR
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 Wilmington

SupplierPopulation served
WILMINGTON WATER DEPARTMENT 107,976
VEOLIA WATER DELAWARE, INC 100,495

Frequently asked questions about Wilmington tap water

Is Wilmington tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 38 contaminants in the water serving Wilmington. 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 Wilmington?

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

What contaminants are in Wilmington's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Wilmington include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Fluoride, Copper, TTHM. 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.