Tap WaterIndex

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Tap water quality report

Charleston, SC

EPA monitoring detected 22 contaminants across the 1 water supplier serving Charleston. A detection doesn't automatically mean the water is unsafe — see the highest level found for each below, with its EPA source and period.

1
water supplier
327,422
people served
22
contaminants found
South Carolina rankings Lead in South Carolina PFAS in South Carolina

What was found in Charleston's water

The highest level seen across the city's suppliers, the EPA limit for each, and where the figure comes from.

ContaminantLevel vs EPA limitSuppliersSource
Fluoride
590 µg/L 15%
of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L
 1/1 SYR4
Nitrate
520 µg/L 5.2%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
 1/1 SYR4
Copper
180 µg/L 14%
of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L
 1/1 SYR4
Nitrate-Nitrite
100 µg/L 1%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
 1/1 SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
86.09 µg/L 143%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 60 µg/L
 1/1 SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid
78.93 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/1 SYR4
TTHM
51.88 µg/L 65%
of the EPA limit 80 µg/L
 1/1 SYR4
Chloroform
39.52 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/1 SYR4
Lead
17 µg/L 113%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 µg/L
 1/1 SYR4
Bromoform
15.45 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/1 SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid
13.03 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/1 SYR4
Bromodichloromethane
12.36 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/1 SYR4
Dibromochloromethane
12.17 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/1 SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid
10.15 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/1 SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid
6.19 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/1 SYR4
Monobromoacetic Acid
5.62 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/1 SYR4
PFOS
0.0065 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/1 UCMR-5
Pfpea
0.0047 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/1 UCMR-5
PFOA
0.0044 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/1 UCMR-5
Pfhxa
0.0043 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/1 UCMR-5
PFBS
0.0038 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/1 UCMR-5
Lead
0.0035 mg/L 23%
of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L
 1/1 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 Charleston

SupplierPopulation served
CHARLESTON WATER SYSTEM (SC1010001) 327,422

Frequently asked questions about Charleston tap water

Is Charleston tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 22 contaminants in the water serving Charleston. 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 Charleston?

1 public water supplier report drinking-water monitoring for Charleston, South Carolina to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.

What contaminants are in Charleston's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Charleston include Fluoride, Nitrate, Copper, Nitrate-Nitrite, Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5). 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.