What was found in Manchester'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 | 219 µg/L 2.2% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION · 390,887 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 5977 µg/L — CTWC - NORTHERN REG-WESTERN SYSTEM · 101,313 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 198.3 µg/L 2% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION · 390,887 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 5938 µg/L — CTWC - NORTHERN REG-WESTERN SYSTEM · 101,313 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 1029 µg/L 26% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION · 390,887 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 1107 µg/L — MANCHESTER WATER DEPARTMENT · 51,198 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 183.1 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION · 390,887 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 500.5 µg/L — CTWC - REDWOOD FARMS DIVISION · 424 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 10.535 µg/L 0.5% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION · 390,887 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 346.8 µg/L — CTWC - NORTHERN REG-WESTERN SYSTEM · 101,313 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 71.5525 µg/L 89% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION · 390,887 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 80.8 µg/L — CTWC - NORTHERN REG-WESTERN SYSTEM · 101,313 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 13.35 µg/L 89% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION · 390,887 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 72.1 µg/L — CTWC - NORTHERN REG-WESTERN SYSTEM · 101,313 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 64.475 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION · 390,887 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 55.9 µg/L 5.6% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: CTWC - NORTHERN REG-WESTERN SYSTEM · 101,313 people · 2019 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 52.705 µg/L 88% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION · 390,887 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 42.1251 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION · 390,887 people · 2019 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 36.0718 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION · 390,887 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 19.8 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: CTWC - NORTHERN REG-WESTERN SYSTEM · 101,313 people · 2025 | 1/4 | UCMR-5 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 17.34 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION · 390,887 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 6.6695 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION · 390,887 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 15 µg/L — CTWC - NORTHERN REG-WESTERN SYSTEM · 101,313 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Bromate | 12 µg/L 120% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 10 µg/L Highest in the city: MANCHESTER WATER DEPARTMENT · 51,198 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 2.07175 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION · 390,887 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 8 µg/L — MANCHESTER WATER DEPARTMENT · 51,198 people · 2019 | 3/4 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 0.7503 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION · 390,887 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 6 µg/L — CTWC - NORTHERN REG-WESTERN SYSTEM · 101,313 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 5.455 µg/L 18% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Highest in the city: CTWC - NORTHERN REG-WESTERN SYSTEM · 101,313 people · 2018 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 5.4035 pCi/L 36% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Highest in the city: CTWC - NORTHERN REG-WESTERN SYSTEM · 101,313 people · 2018 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 5.4 pCi/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: MANCHESTER WATER DEPARTMENT · 51,198 people · 2018 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 5.25 µg/L 53% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Highest in the city: CTWC - NORTHERN REG-WESTERN SYSTEM · 101,313 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Cyanide | 5 µg/L 2.5% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Highest in the city: CTWC - NORTHERN REG-WESTERN SYSTEM · 101,313 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 1.4465 pCi/L 29% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION · 390,887 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 2.9 pCi/L — CTWC - NORTHERN REG-WESTERN SYSTEM · 101,313 people · 2018 | 3/4 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroethylene | 2.88 µg/L 58% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Highest in the city: MANCHESTER WATER DEPARTMENT · 51,198 people · 2019 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 2.865 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: MANCHESTER WATER DEPARTMENT · 51,198 people · 2019 | 3/4 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 2.67 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: CTWC - REDWOOD FARMS DIVISION · 424 people · 2019 | 3/4 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 2 µg/L 4% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Highest in the city: CTWC - NORTHERN REG-WESTERN SYSTEM · 101,313 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| 1,1-Dichloroethylene | 1.35 µg/L 19% of the EPA limit 7 µg/L Highest in the city: MANCHESTER WATER DEPARTMENT · 51,198 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | 1.2 µg/L 24% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Highest in the city: MANCHESTER WATER DEPARTMENT · 51,198 people · 2019 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 1.095 µg/L 1.1% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Highest in the city: MANCHESTER WATER DEPARTMENT · 51,198 people · 2019 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| 1,1,1-Trichloroethane | 0.9900 µg/L 0.5% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Highest in the city: MANCHESTER WATER DEPARTMENT · 51,198 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Beryllium, Total | 0.6327 µg/L 16% of the EPA limit 4 µg/L Main supplier: METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION · 390,887 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Mercury | 0.2000 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Main supplier: METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION · 390,887 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Benzo(A)Pyrene | 0.0630 µg/L 32% of the EPA limit 0.2000 µg/L Highest in the city: CTWC - NORTHERN REG-WESTERN SYSTEM · 101,313 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Hexachlorocyclopentadiene | 0.0170 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Highest in the city: MANCHESTER WATER DEPARTMENT · 51,198 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| PFOS | 0.0160 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: MANCHESTER WATER DEPARTMENT · 51,198 people · 2024 | 2/4 | UCMR-5 |
| PFBS | 0.0150 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: MANCHESTER WATER DEPARTMENT · 51,198 people · 2024 | 2/4 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOA | 0.0130 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: MANCHESTER WATER DEPARTMENT · 51,198 people · 2024 | 2/4 | UCMR-5 |
| Heptachlor Epoxide | 0.0063 µg/L 3.2% of the EPA limit 0.2000 µg/L Highest in the city: MANCHESTER WATER DEPARTMENT · 51,198 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Pfba | 0.0050 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: CTWC - NORTHERN REG-WESTERN SYSTEM · 101,313 people · 2025 | 1/4 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhxa | 0.0047 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: MANCHESTER WATER DEPARTMENT · 51,198 people · 2024 | 2/4 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfpea | 0.0047 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: MANCHESTER WATER DEPARTMENT · 51,198 people · 2024 | 2/4 | UCMR-5 |
| PFHXS | 0.0038 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: MANCHESTER WATER DEPARTMENT · 51,198 people · 2024 | 2/4 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhpa | 0.0035 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: MANCHESTER WATER DEPARTMENT · 51,198 people · 2024 | 1/4 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.0 mg/L 0% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION · 390,887 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0012 mg/L — CTWC - REDWOOD FARMS DIVISION · 424 people · 2025 | 4/4 | 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 Manchester
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION | 390,887 |
| CTWC - NORTHERN REG-WESTERN SYSTEM | 101,313 |
| MANCHESTER WATER DEPARTMENT | 51,198 |
| CTWC - REDWOOD FARMS DIVISION | 424 |
Frequently asked questions about Manchester tap water
Is Manchester tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 46 contaminants in the water serving Manchester. 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 Manchester?
4 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Manchester, Connecticut to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Manchester's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Manchester include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Fluoride, Copper, 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.