What was found in Bedford's water
The level at the city's main supplier, the highest level anywhere in the city, the EPA limit for each, and where every figure comes from.
| Contaminant | Level vs EPA limit | Suppliers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 2900 µg/L 29% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: BEDFORD CITY UTILITIES · 14,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 3140 µg/L — NORTH LAWRENCE WATER AUTHORITY · 11,625 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 2900 µg/L 29% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: BEDFORD CITY UTILITIES · 14,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 900 µg/L 23% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: BEDFORD CITY UTILITIES · 14,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 1084.9 µg/L — NORTH LAWRENCE WATER AUTHORITY · 11,625 people · 2018 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 214.49999999999946 µg/L 16% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: BEDFORD CITY UTILITIES · 14,000 people · 2017
Highest in the city: 357.7999999999998 µg/L — NORTH LAWRENCE WATER AUTHORITY · 11,625 people · 2017 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 87.91999999999997 µg/L 110% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 80 µg/L Main supplier: BEDFORD CITY UTILITIES · 14,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 105.69999999999999 µg/L — NORTH LAWRENCE WATER AUTHORITY · 11,625 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 74.64999999999999 µg/L 124% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 60 µg/L Main supplier: BEDFORD CITY UTILITIES · 14,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 77.59999999999997 µg/L — EAST LAWRENCE WATER AUTHORITY · 8,000 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 53.65 µg/L 2.7% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: BEDFORD CITY UTILITIES · 14,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 53.39999999999999 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BEDFORD CITY UTILITIES · 14,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 11.6 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BEDFORD CITY UTILITIES · 14,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 2.8649999999999998 µg/L 19% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: BEDFORD CITY UTILITIES · 14,000 people · 2017
Highest in the city: 7.35 µg/L — NORTH LAWRENCE WATER AUTHORITY · 11,625 people · 2017 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 4.01 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BEDFORD CITY UTILITIES · 14,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Atrazine | 2.8149999999999995 µg/L 94% of the EPA limit 3 µg/L Main supplier: BEDFORD CITY UTILITIES · 14,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 2.291 pCi/L 15% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Main supplier: BEDFORD CITY UTILITIES · 14,000 people · 2018 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 1.3 µg/L 1.3% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: BEDFORD CITY UTILITIES · 14,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 1.2 µg/L 12% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: BEDFORD CITY UTILITIES · 14,000 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 1.2 pCi/L 24% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: BEDFORD CITY UTILITIES · 14,000 people · 2015 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 0.6000 pCi/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: NORTH LAWRENCE WATER AUTHORITY · 11,625 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Simazine | 0.4760 µg/L 12% of the EPA limit 4 µg/L Main supplier: BEDFORD CITY UTILITIES · 14,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| 2,4-D | 0.2950 µg/L 0.4% of the EPA limit 70 µg/L Main supplier: BEDFORD CITY UTILITIES · 14,000 people · 2018 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Hexachlorocyclopentadiene | 0.1000 µg/L 0.2% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: BEDFORD CITY UTILITIES · 14,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0015 mg/L 10% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: BEDFORD CITY UTILITIES · 14,000 people · 2023
Highest in the city: 0.0023 mg/L — NORTH LAWRENCE WATER AUTHORITY · 11,625 people · 2023 | 3/3 | 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 95th percentile of the
system's samples — 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 Bedford
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| BEDFORD CITY UTILITIES | 14,000 |
| NORTH LAWRENCE WATER AUTHORITY | 11,625 |
| EAST LAWRENCE WATER AUTHORITY | 8,000 |
Frequently asked questions about Bedford tap water
Is Bedford tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 21 contaminants in the water serving Bedford. 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 Bedford?
3 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Bedford, Indiana to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Bedford's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Bedford include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Fluoride, Copper, TTHM. The full list, with the level at the main supplier 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.