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Tap water quality report

Bellingham, WA

EPA monitoring detected 21 contaminants across the 18 water suppliers serving Bellingham. A detection doesn't automatically mean the water is unsafe — see the highest level found for each below, with its EPA source and period.

18
water suppliers
157,846
people served
21
contaminants found
Washington rankings Lead in Washington PFAS in Washington

What was found in Bellingham'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
Nitrate
6900 µg/L 69%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
 10/18 SYR4
Nitrate-Nitrite
5400 µg/L 54%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
 5/18 SYR4
Fluoride
440 µg/L 11%
of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L
 4/18 SYR4
TTHM
79.9 µg/L 100%
of the EPA limit 80 µg/L
 12/18 SYR4
Chloroform
71.9 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 12/18 SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
66.7 µg/L 111%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 60 µg/L
 12/18 SYR4
Barium
62 µg/L 3.1%
of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L
 5/18 SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid
31.8 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 12/18 SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid
25.5 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 10/18 SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid
16.1 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 3/18 SYR4
Monobromoacetic Acid
11.7 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/18 SYR4
Bromoform
11.6 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/18 SYR4
Bromodichloromethane
10.3 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 12/18 SYR4
Copper
10 µg/L 0.8%
of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L
 1/18 SYR4
Gross Beta Particle Activity
6.71 pCi/L
No EPA limit set
 4/18 SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid
6.6 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 6/18 SYR4
Dibromochloromethane
6.6 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 12/18 SYR4
Arsenic
6.1 µg/L 61%
of the EPA limit 10 µg/L
 7/18 SYR4
Lead
3.9 µg/L 26%
of the EPA limit 15 µg/L
 1/18 SYR4
Chromium
2 µg/L 2%
of the EPA limit 100 µg/L
 2/18 SYR4
Lead
0.0042 mg/L 28%
of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L
 15/18 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 Bellingham

SupplierPopulation served
BELLINGHAM-WATER DIVISION CITY OF 141,127
LWWSD - SOUTH SHORE WATER SYSTEM 10,028
DEER CREEK WATER ASSOC. 2,000
WHATCOM COUNTY WATER DIST #7 1,410
WHATCOM COUNTY WATER DIST #2 1,353
MOUNT BAKER WATER ASSOCIATION 500
Deer Creek Water Assn/Guide South 251
LWWSD - EAGLERIDGE 196
SUNSET WATER ASSOCIATION 174
WAHL WATER ASSOC 165
CHUCKANUT TRAILS WATER SYSTEM 158
LWWSD - AGATE HEIGHTS 147
MOUNT BAKER MOBILE HOME PARK 87
SMITH ROAD WATER ASSOCIATION 77
COUNTRY HAVEN WATER ASSOC 50
VICTOR WATER ASSOCIATION 43
ANDERSON CREEK WATER ASSOCIATION 41
Glen Cove Water Association 39

Frequently asked questions about Bellingham tap water

Is Bellingham tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 21 contaminants in the water serving Bellingham. 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 Bellingham?

18 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Bellingham, Washington to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.

What contaminants are in Bellingham's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Bellingham include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Fluoride, TTHM, Chloroform. 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.