Is Cumberland, RI Tap Water Safe? Quality & Contaminants

What was found in Cumberland'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-Nitrite	5330 µg/L 53% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L	2/2	SYR4
Nitrate	4550 µg/L 46% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L	2/2	SYR4
Copper	1230 µg/L 95% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L	2/2	SYR4
Fluoride	1030 µg/L 26% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L	2/2	SYR4
Barium	270 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L	2/2	SYR4
TTHM	115.2 µg/L 144% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 80 µg/L	2/2	SYR4
Lead	95 µg/L 633% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 µg/L	2/2	SYR4
Chloroform	82 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/2	SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	59.1 µg/L 99% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L	2/2	SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid	28.1 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/2	SYR4
Bromodichloromethane	26 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/2	SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid	26 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/2	SYR4
Nitrite	20 µg/L 2% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L	1/2	SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid	16 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/2	SYR4
Dibromochloromethane	13 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/2	SYR4
Bromoform	5.4 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/2	SYR4
Monobromoacetic Acid	5.2 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/2	SYR4
Chromium	5 µg/L 5% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L	2/2	SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid	3.8 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/2	SYR4
Arsenic	2 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L	2/2	SYR4
Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate	1 µg/L 17% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L	1/2	SYR4
Dalapon	0.4400 µg/L 0.2% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L	1/2	SYR4
Pfpea	0.0083 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/2	UCMR-5
PFOA	0.0077 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/2	UCMR-5
Pfhxa	0.0073 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/2	UCMR-5
PFOS	0.0067 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/2	UCMR-5
6:2 Fts	0.0060 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/2	UCMR-5
PFBS	0.0045 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/2	UCMR-5
Pfhpa	0.0035 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/2	UCMR-5
Lead	0.0013 mg/L 8.7% 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 Cumberland

Supplier	Population served
PAWTUCKET WATER SUPPLY BOARD VEOLIA-NA	98,130
CUMBERLAND, TOWN OF	21,235

Frequently asked questions about Cumberland tap water

Is Cumberland tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 30 contaminants in the water serving Cumberland. 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 Cumberland?

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

What contaminants are in Cumberland's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Cumberland include Nitrate-Nitrite, Nitrate, Copper, Fluoride, Barium. 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.