What was found in Notre Dame'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 | 1625 µg/L 16% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME · 7,400 people · 2018 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 1032 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME · 7,400 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 497 µg/L 38% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME · 7,400 people · 2017 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 154.4 µg/L 7.7% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME · 7,400 people · 2017 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 100 µg/L 2.5% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME · 7,400 people · 2017 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 11.05 µg/L 74% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME · 7,400 people · 2017 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 10.755 pCi/L 72% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Main supplier: UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME · 7,400 people · 2017 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 10 µg/L 1% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: SISTERS OF HOLY CROSS-ST. MARYS COLLEGE · 2,111 people · 2016 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 8.7 µg/L 11% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Highest in the city: SISTERS OF HOLY CROSS-ST. MARYS COLLEGE · 2,111 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 6.596 pCi/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME · 7,400 people · 2017 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 2.795 µg/L 28% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME · 7,400 people · 2017
Highest in the city: 2.8 µg/L — SISTERS OF HOLY CROSS-ST. MARYS COLLEGE · 2,111 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 2.16 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: SISTERS OF HOLY CROSS-ST. MARYS COLLEGE · 2,111 people · 2018 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 2.105 pCi/L 42% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME · 7,400 people · 2017 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 1.8 µg/L 3% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Highest in the city: SISTERS OF HOLY CROSS-ST. MARYS COLLEGE · 2,111 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 1.675 µg/L 1.7% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME · 7,400 people · 2017 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 1.6 µg/L 5.3% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Main supplier: UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME · 7,400 people · 2017 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 1.485 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: SISTERS OF HOLY CROSS-ST. MARYS COLLEGE · 2,111 people · 2018 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 1.1 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: SISTERS OF HOLY CROSS-ST. MARYS COLLEGE · 2,111 people · 2018 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 1.1 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: SISTERS OF HOLY CROSS-ST. MARYS COLLEGE · 2,111 people · 2018 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Antimony, Total | 0.5000 µg/L 8.3% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Main supplier: UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME · 7,400 people · 2017 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| PFBS | 0.0045 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME · 7,400 people · 2025 | 1/2 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOA | 0.0041 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME · 7,400 people · 2025 | 1/2 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.0030 mg/L 20% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME · 7,400 people · 2026 | 2/2 | 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 Notre Dame
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME | 7,400 |
| SISTERS OF HOLY CROSS-ST. MARYS COLLEGE | 2,111 |
Frequently asked questions about Notre Dame tap water
Is Notre Dame tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 23 contaminants in the water serving Notre Dame. 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 Notre Dame?
2 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Notre Dame, Indiana to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Notre Dame's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Notre Dame include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Copper, Barium, Fluoride. 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.