What was found in Frederick'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-Nitrite | 7905 µg/L 79% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: NEW DESIGN - FREDERICK COUNTY · 74,911 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 8820 µg/L — SAM HILL ESTATES · 1,036 people · 2019 | 12/19 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate | 7200 µg/L 72% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: NEW DESIGN - FREDERICK COUNTY · 74,911 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 7665 µg/L — BRADFORD ESTATES · 178 people · 2015 | 13/19 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 726 µg/L 18% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: NEW DESIGN - FREDERICK COUNTY · 74,911 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 880 µg/L — CITY OF FREDERICK · 54,000 people · 2019 | 8/19 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 87.7 µg/L 4.4% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: NEW DESIGN - FREDERICK COUNTY · 74,911 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 346.2 µg/L — FOUNTAINDALE SOUTH · 2,610 people · 2019 | 14/19 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 58.87 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NEW DESIGN - FREDERICK COUNTY · 74,911 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 114.96 µg/L — CLOVERHILL 3 - CONSECUTIVE TO MD0100015 · 888 people · 2016 | 16/19 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 86.45 µg/L 108% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 80 µg/L Main supplier: NEW DESIGN - FREDERICK COUNTY · 74,911 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 104.4 µg/L — CLOVERHILL 3 - CONSECUTIVE TO MD0100015 · 888 people · 2019 | 17/19 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 40.53 µg/L 68% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: NEW DESIGN - FREDERICK COUNTY · 74,911 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 79.52 µg/L — CITY OF FREDERICK · 54,000 people · 2019 | 17/19 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 20.58 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NEW DESIGN - FREDERICK COUNTY · 74,911 people · 2015
Highest in the city: 48.78 µg/L — CITY OF FREDERICK · 54,000 people · 2015 | 15/19 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 18.38 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NEW DESIGN - FREDERICK COUNTY · 74,911 people · 2015
Highest in the city: 41.11 µg/L — CITY OF FREDERICK · 54,000 people · 2015 | 15/19 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 23.56 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NEW DESIGN - FREDERICK COUNTY · 74,911 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 24.315 µg/L — ROSEMONT DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM · 237 people · 2016 | 15/19 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 14.23 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NEW DESIGN - FREDERICK COUNTY · 74,911 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 19.62 µg/L — ROSEMONT DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM · 237 people · 2016 | 14/19 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 18.42 pCi/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: COPPERFIELD · 338 people · 2018 | 5/19 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 9.83 pCi/L 66% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Highest in the city: POLINGS MOBILE HOME PARK · 80 people · 2018 | 3/19 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 4.3 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NEW DESIGN - FREDERICK COUNTY · 74,911 people · 2015
Highest in the city: 8.23 µg/L — FORT DETRICK · 7,900 people · 2015 | 5/19 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 3.9 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NEW DESIGN - FREDERICK COUNTY · 74,911 people · 2015
Highest in the city: 5.96 µg/L — ROSEMONT DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM · 237 people · 2016 | 11/19 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 4.7 pCi/L 94% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Highest in the city: POLINGS MOBILE HOME PARK · 80 people · 2018 | 2/19 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 2.15 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NEW DESIGN - FREDERICK COUNTY · 74,911 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 4.005 µg/L — ROSEMONT DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM · 237 people · 2016 | 11/19 | SYR4 |
| Dalapon | 2.22 µg/L 1.1% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Main supplier: NEW DESIGN - FREDERICK COUNTY · 74,911 people · 2018 | 2/19 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 1.63 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NEW DESIGN - FREDERICK COUNTY · 74,911 people · 2015
Highest in the city: 2.05 µg/L — CITY OF FREDERICK · 54,000 people · 2015 | 4/19 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 1 µg/L 1% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: NEW DESIGN - FREDERICK COUNTY · 74,911 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 2 µg/L — CAMBRIDGE FARMS · 953 people · 2019 | 6/19 | SYR4 |
| Atrazine | 1.4915 µg/L 50% of the EPA limit 3 µg/L Highest in the city: CITY OF FREDERICK · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/19 | SYR4 |
| Simazine | 0.9415 µg/L 24% of the EPA limit 4 µg/L Highest in the city: CITY OF FREDERICK · 54,000 people · 2019 | 2/19 | SYR4 |
| Hexachlorocyclopentadiene | 0.3000 µg/L 0.6% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Highest in the city: FORT DETRICK · 7,900 people · 2019 | 2/19 | SYR4 |
| 1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE | 0.0100 µg/L 5% of the EPA limit 0.2000 µg/L Highest in the city: FORT DETRICK · 7,900 people · 2019 | 2/19 | SYR4 |
| Ethylene Dibromide | 0.0100 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 0.0500 µg/L Highest in the city: FORT DETRICK · 7,900 people · 2019 | 2/19 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0030 mg/L 20% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: NEW DESIGN - FREDERICK COUNTY · 74,911 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 0.0040 mg/L — LIBERTYTOWN EAST · 140 people · 2017 | 17/19 | LCR |
| Pfpea | 0.0033 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NEW DESIGN - FREDERICK COUNTY · 74,911 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0039 µg/L — FORT DETRICK · 7,900 people · 2025 | 3/19 | 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 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 Frederick
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| NEW DESIGN - FREDERICK COUNTY | 74,911 |
| CITY OF FREDERICK | 54,000 |
| FORT DETRICK | 7,900 |
| FOUNTAINDALE SOUTH | 2,610 |
| KNOLLS OF WINDSOR | 1,553 |
| WATERSIDE | 1,509 |
| SAM HILL ESTATES | 1,036 |
| CAMBRIDGE FARMS | 953 |
| CLOVERHILL 3 - CONSECUTIVE TO MD0100015 | 888 |
| COPPERFIELD | 338 |
| COUNTRY MEADOWS OF FREDERICK | 295 |
| WHITE ROCK | 256 |
| ROSEMONT DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM | 237 |
| BRADFORD ESTATES | 178 |
| LIBERTYTOWN EAST | 140 |
| TRANQUILITY AT FREDERICKTOWNE | 105 |
| LIBERTYTOWN APARTMENTS | 97 |
| POLINGS MOBILE HOME PARK | 80 |
| AMELANO MANOR | 36 |
Frequently asked questions about Frederick tap water
Is Frederick tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 27 contaminants in the water serving Frederick. 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 Frederick?
19 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Frederick, Maryland to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Frederick's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Frederick include Nitrate-Nitrite, Nitrate, Fluoride, Barium, Chloroform. 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.