What was found in Dover'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 | 5255 µg/L 53% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 7695 µg/L — VILLAGE OF GRANDVIEW · 108 people · 2019 | 2/8 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 5190 µg/L 52% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 7695 µg/L — VILLAGE OF GRANDVIEW · 108 people · 2019 | 2/8 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 1070 µg/L 27% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019 | 6/8 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 200 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019 | 1/8 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 179.2 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 188.125 µg/L — VILLAGE OF GRANDVIEW · 108 people · 2016 | 8/8 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 67.709 µg/L 3.4% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 115.1 µg/L — VILLAGE OF GRANDVIEW · 108 people · 2016 | 2/8 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 48.35 µg/L 60% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 49.605 µg/L — LAKELAND/BEECHWOOD PUMP DISTRICT · 459 people · 2019 | 5/8 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 32.235 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 39.444 µg/L — LAKELAND/BEECHWOOD PUMP DISTRICT · 459 people · 2019 | 5/8 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 37.2 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2025 | 1/8 | UCMR-5 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 14.815 µg/L 25% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 20.285 µg/L — LAKELAND/BEECHWOOD PUMP DISTRICT · 459 people · 2019 | 5/8 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 9.9145 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 10.44 µg/L — LAKELAND/BEECHWOOD PUMP DISTRICT · 459 people · 2019 | 5/8 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 6.339 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 10.3163 µg/L — LAKELAND/BEECHWOOD PUMP DISTRICT · 459 people · 2019 | 5/8 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 10 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019 | 6/8 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 9.69 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019 | 4/8 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 7.7 µg/L 51% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019 | 6/8 | SYR4 |
| Bromate | 6 µg/L 60% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019 | 1/8 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 5.325 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019 | 4/8 | SYR4 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | 5.21 µg/L 104% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 5 µg/L Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019 | 1/8 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 3.783 µg/L 38% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019 | 1/8 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 3.105 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019 | 1/8 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 2.4575 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019 | 1/8 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 2.4465 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019 | 1/8 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 2.058 pCi/L 41% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 2.12 pCi/L — VOSHELLS COVE PUMP DISTRICT · 252 people · 2019 | 7/8 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 1.424 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: HUNTERS POINTE PUMP DISTRICT · 261 people · 2019 | 2/8 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 1.182 µg/L 2.4% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019 | 2/8 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 1.14 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019 | 1/8 | SYR4 |
| 1,2-Dichloroethane | 0.7200 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019 | 1/8 | SYR4 |
| Ethylbenzene | 0.5100 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 700 µg/L Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2019 | 1/8 | SYR4 |
| Chlordane | 0.1000 µg/L 5% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Highest in the city: VILLAGE OF GRANDVIEW · 108 people · 2018 | 1/8 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0020 mg/L 13% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT · 39,491 people · 2026
Highest in the city: 0.0070 mg/L — KITTS HUMMOCK IMPROVEMENT ASSOC · 305 people · 2021 | 8/8 | 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 Dover
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| DOVER WATER DEPARTMENT | 39,491 |
| LAKELAND/BEECHWOOD PUMP DISTRICT | 459 |
| KITTS HUMMOCK IMPROVEMENT ASSOC | 305 |
| HUNTERS POINTE PUMP DISTRICT | 261 |
| VOSHELLS COVE PUMP DISTRICT | 252 |
| DOVER AIR PARK | 252 |
| WILLOW TREE PROPERTIES LLC | 123 |
| VILLAGE OF GRANDVIEW | 108 |
Frequently asked questions about Dover tap water
Is Dover tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 30 contaminants in the water serving Dover. 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 Dover?
8 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Dover, Delaware to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Dover's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Dover include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Fluoride, Nitrite, Copper. 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.