What was found in Sumter'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 | 8775 µg/L 88% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: CRESCENT MHP (SC4360011) · 259 people · 2019 | 9/13 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 7450 µg/L 75% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: CRESCENT MHP (SC4360011) · 259 people · 2016 | 8/13 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 200 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: SUMTER CITY OF (SC4310001) · 53,070 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 1587.5 µg/L — GRANADA SUBDIVISION (SC4350008) · 150 people · 2019 | 13/13 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 937 µg/L 23% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: SUMTER CITY OF (SC4310001) · 53,070 people · 2019 | 3/13 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 91 µg/L 4.6% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: SUMTER CITY OF (SC4310001) · 53,070 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 570 µg/L — WHISPERING PINES MHP (SC4360021) · 80 people · 2019 | 4/13 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 80 µg/L 1333% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 6 µg/L Highest in the city: WHISPERING PINES MHP (SC4360021) · 80 people · 2019 | 1/13 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 1.9 µg/L 13% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: SUMTER CITY OF (SC4310001) · 53,070 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 59.95 µg/L — GRANADA SUBDIVISION (SC4350008) · 150 people · 2019 | 13/13 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 33.6 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SUMTER CITY OF (SC4310001) · 53,070 people · 2024 | 1/13 | UCMR-5 |
| TTHM | 18.944 µg/L 24% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: SUMTER CITY OF (SC4310001) · 53,070 people · 2019 | 4/13 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 9.035 µg/L 30% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Highest in the city: CEDAR HILL MHP (SC4360010) · 128 people · 2013 | 2/13 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 8.598 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SUMTER CITY OF (SC4310001) · 53,070 people · 2019 | 4/13 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 6.41 pCi/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SUMTER CITY OF (SC4310001) · 53,070 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 7.9425 pCi/L — CRESCENT MHP (SC4360011) · 259 people · 2019 | 2/13 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 7.01 pCi/L 47% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Highest in the city: CEDAR HILL MHP (SC4360010) · 128 people · 2018 | 6/13 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 6.924 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SUMTER CITY OF (SC4310001) · 53,070 people · 2019 | 3/13 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 6.862 µg/L 11% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: SUMTER CITY OF (SC4310001) · 53,070 people · 2019 | 6/13 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 5.255 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SUMTER CITY OF (SC4310001) · 53,070 people · 2019 | 3/13 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 1.8575 pCi/L 37% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: SUMTER CITY OF (SC4310001) · 53,070 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 5.05 pCi/L — CEDAR HILL MHP (SC4360010) · 128 people · 2019 | 7/13 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 5.0425 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SUMTER CITY OF (SC4310001) · 53,070 people · 2019 | 6/13 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 4.65 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: BGWC OAKLAND PLANTATION (SC4350006) · 1,180 people · 2019 | 2/13 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 3.7155 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SUMTER CITY OF (SC4310001) · 53,070 people · 2019 | 1/13 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 3.567 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SUMTER CITY OF (SC4310001) · 53,070 people · 2019 | 4/13 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 2.838 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SUMTER CITY OF (SC4310001) · 53,070 people · 2019 | 2/13 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 2.525 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: SUMTER-WESSEX S/D (SC4350016) · 412 people · 2019 | 2/13 | SYR4 |
| Beryllium, Total | 1.57 µg/L 39% of the EPA limit 4 µg/L Main supplier: SUMTER CITY OF (SC4310001) · 53,070 people · 2019 | 1/13 | SYR4 |
| 1,2-Dichloropropane | 1.29 µg/L 26% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Highest in the city: SUMTER-WESSEX S/D (SC4350016) · 412 people · 2019 | 1/13 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 1.21 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: OSWEGO RURAL WATER CO (SC4320006) · 3,282 people · 2019 | 2/13 | SYR4 |
| Cadmium | 0.7185 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Highest in the city: GRANADA SUBDIVISION (SC4350008) · 150 people · 2019 | 3/13 | SYR4 |
| Ethylbenzene | 0.6945 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 700 µg/L Highest in the city: BGWC OAKLAND PLANTATION (SC4350006) · 1,180 people · 2019 | 1/13 | SYR4 |
| 1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE | 0.1730 µg/L 86% of the EPA limit 0.2000 µg/L Highest in the city: KOKOMO PALMS MHP (SC4360037) · 280 people · 2019 | 2/13 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.00079 mg/L 5.3% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: SUMTER CITY OF (SC4310001) · 53,070 people · 2024
Highest in the city: 0.0110 mg/L — SHAW MOBILE HOME PARK (SC4360012) · 173 people · 2024 | 13/13 | 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 Sumter
Frequently asked questions about Sumter tap water
Is Sumter tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 30 contaminants in the water serving Sumter. 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 Sumter?
13 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Sumter, South Carolina to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Sumter's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Sumter include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Copper, Fluoride, Barium. 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.