What was found in Hempstead'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 | 15450 µg/L 155% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 10000 µg/L | 8/9 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 15450 µg/L 155% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 10000 µg/L | 8/9 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 900 µg/L 69% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L | 8/9 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 251 µg/L 13% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L | 8/9 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 160 µg/L 4% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L | 4/9 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 150 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 139 µg/L No EPA limit set | 2/9 | UCMR-5 |
| cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene | 87.1 µg/L 124% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 70 µg/L | 4/9 | SYR4 |
| 1,1,1-Trichloroethane | 76.5 µg/L 38% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L | 4/9 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 53 µg/L 353% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 µg/L | 8/9 | SYR4 |
| 1,1-Dichloroethylene | 28 µg/L 400% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 7 µg/L | 4/9 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 26 µg/L 26% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 25.8 µg/L 32% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L | 6/9 | SYR4 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | 20 µg/L 400% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 5 µg/L | 6/9 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroethylene | 20 µg/L 400% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 5 µg/L | 6/9 | SYR4 |
| Carbon Tetrachloride | 19.87 µg/L 397% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 5 µg/L | 3/9 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 15.4 µg/L No EPA limit set | 6/9 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 14 µg/L 140% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 10 µg/L | 4/9 | SYR4 |
| Benzene | 12.92 µg/L 258% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 5 µg/L | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 11.3 µg/L 1.1% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L | 4/9 | SYR4 |
| Cyanide | 11.2 µg/L 5.6% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 10.9 µg/L No EPA limit set | 5/9 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 9.3274 µg/L 31% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L | 8/9 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 9 µg/L No EPA limit set | 7/9 | SYR4 |
| 1,1,2-Trichloroethane | 8.6 µg/L 172% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 5 µg/L | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 8.06 pCi/L 54% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L | 6/9 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 6.4 pCi/L No EPA limit set | 8/9 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 6.1 µg/L No EPA limit set | 7/9 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 5.9 µg/L 9.8% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L | 3/9 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 5.4 pCi/L 108% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 5 pCi/L | 8/9 | SYR4 |
| Beryllium, Total | 4 µg/L 100% of the EPA limit 4 µg/L | 4/9 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 4 µg/L 8% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L | 4/9 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 3.7 µg/L No EPA limit set | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 3.2 µg/L No EPA limit set | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Thallium, Total | 3.2 µg/L 160% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 2 µg/L | 5/9 | SYR4 |
| 1,2-Dichloroethane | 3 µg/L 60% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 3 µg/L No EPA limit set | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Vinyl Chloride | 2.5 µg/L 125% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 2 µg/L | 3/9 | SYR4 |
| Cadmium | 2.16 µg/L 43% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L | 3/9 | SYR4 |
| Mercury | 2 µg/L 100% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Chlorobenzene | 1.8 µg/L 1.8% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 1.7 µg/L 28% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L | 3/9 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 1.7 µg/L No EPA limit set | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Antimony, Total | 1.6 µg/L 27% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 1.4 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene | 1.21 µg/L 1.2% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| Styrene | 1.17 µg/L 1.2% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| Ethylbenzene | 0.9800 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 700 µg/L | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| 1,2-Dichloropropane | 0.8900 µg/L 18% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| P-Dichlorobenzene | 0.8700 µg/L 1.2% of the EPA limit 75 µg/L | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| Dichloromethane | 0.7000 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Endrin | 0.0630 µg/L 3.2% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| Ethylene Dibromide | 0.0540 µg/L 108% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 0.0500 µg/L | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Heptachlor Epoxide | 0.0470 µg/L 24% of the EPA limit 0.2000 µg/L | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| PFOA | 0.0100 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/9 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfpea | 0.0095 µg/L No EPA limit set | 2/9 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhxa | 0.0074 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/9 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.0071 mg/L 47% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L | 9/9 | LCR |
| Pfba | 0.0071 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/9 | UCMR-5 |
| PFHXS | 0.0063 µg/L No EPA limit set | 2/9 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOS | 0.0061 µg/L No EPA limit set | 3/9 | UCMR-5 |
| PFNA | 0.0041 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/9 | UCMR-5 |
| PFBS | 0.0036 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/9 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhpa | 0.0034 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/9 | 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 Hempstead
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| LIBERTY UTILITIES NEW YORK - LYNBROOK | 220,000 |
| LIBERTY UTILITIES NEW YORK - MERRICK | 135,000 |
| WA OF WESTERN NASSAU | 120,000 |
| TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD WATER DEPARTMENT | 110,000 |
| HEMPSTEAD (V) | 56,000 |
| WEST HEMPSTEAD WD | 32,031 |
| FRANKLIN SQUARE WD | 20,000 |
| LIDO-POINT LOOKOUT WD | 2,000 |
| CATHEDRAL GARDENS WD | 1,500 |
Frequently asked questions about Hempstead tap water
Is Hempstead tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 64 contaminants in the water serving Hempstead. 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 Hempstead?
9 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Hempstead, New York to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Hempstead's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Hempstead include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Copper, Barium, Fluoride. 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.