What was found in Aiken'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 | 1400 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: AIKEN CITY OF (SC0210001) · 51,533 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 3500 µg/L — COLLEGE ACRES PUBLIC W/D (SC0220002) · 1,360 people · 2019 | 6/7 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 1280 µg/L 13% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: AIKEN CITY OF (SC0210001) · 51,533 people · 2016
Highest in the city: 2400 µg/L — COLLEGE ACRES PUBLIC W/D (SC0220002) · 1,360 people · 2014 | 5/7 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 478 µg/L 37% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: AIKEN CITY OF (SC0210001) · 51,533 people · 2017
Highest in the city: 1229 µg/L — COLLEGE ACRES PUBLIC W/D (SC0220002) · 1,360 people · 2018 | 6/7 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 808 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: AIKEN CITY OF (SC0210001) · 51,533 people · 2019 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 106.345 µg/L 133% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 80 µg/L Main supplier: AIKEN CITY OF (SC0210001) · 51,533 people · 2019 | 4/7 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 93.139 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: AIKEN CITY OF (SC0210001) · 51,533 people · 2019 | 3/7 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 67.07 µg/L 112% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 60 µg/L Main supplier: AIKEN CITY OF (SC0210001) · 51,533 people · 2019 | 4/7 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 48.5825 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: AIKEN CITY OF (SC0210001) · 51,533 people · 2019 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 24.42 µg/L 0.2% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: MONTMORENCI W/D (SC0220008) · 3,837 people · 2019 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 23.945 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: AIKEN CITY OF (SC0210001) · 51,533 people · 2019 | 4/7 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 15.82 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: AIKEN CITY OF (SC0210001) · 51,533 people · 2019 | 3/7 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 10.72 µg/L 71% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: AIKEN CITY OF (SC0210001) · 51,533 people · 2017
Highest in the city: 13.7 µg/L — COLLEGE ACRES PUBLIC W/D (SC0220002) · 1,360 people · 2018 | 6/7 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 13.18 µg/L 44% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Main supplier: AIKEN CITY OF (SC0210001) · 51,533 people · 2013 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 11.9 pCi/L 79% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Main supplier: AIKEN CITY OF (SC0210001) · 51,533 people · 2018 | 2/7 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 5.64 pCi/L 113% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 5 pCi/L Main supplier: AIKEN CITY OF (SC0210001) · 51,533 people · 2018 | 5/7 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 3.946 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: AIKEN CITY OF (SC0210001) · 51,533 people · 2019 | 3/7 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 3.014 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: AIKEN CITY OF (SC0210001) · 51,533 people · 2019 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| Ethylbenzene | 2.65 µg/L 0.4% of the EPA limit 700 µg/L Highest in the city: MONTMORENCI W/D (SC0220008) · 3,837 people · 2019 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 1.56 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: AIKEN CITY OF (SC0210001) · 51,533 people · 2019 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| 1,1-Dichloroethylene | 1.395 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 7 µg/L Highest in the city: MONTMORENCI W/D (SC0220008) · 3,837 people · 2019 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.00082 mg/L 5.5% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: AIKEN CITY OF (SC0210001) · 51,533 people · 2023
Highest in the city: 0.0070 mg/L — CAMERON MHP (SC0260038) · 83 people · 2023 | 7/7 | 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 Aiken
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| AIKEN CITY OF (SC0210001) | 51,533 |
| MONTMORENCI W/D (SC0220008) | 3,837 |
| COLLEGE ACRES PUBLIC W/D (SC0220002) | 1,360 |
| OAKHILL S/D (SC0250004) | 243 |
| AIKEN-VALE SVC C CITY OF (SC0250009) | 145 |
| CAMERON MHP (SC0260038) | 83 |
| CLAXTON HILLVIEW MANOR (SC0260016) | 47 |
Frequently asked questions about Aiken tap water
Is Aiken tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 21 contaminants in the water serving Aiken. 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 Aiken?
7 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Aiken, South Carolina to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Aiken's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Aiken include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Copper, Fluoride, 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.