What was found in Bellingham'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 | 2437.5 µg/L 24% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 123.75 µg/L 6.2% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 95.98 µg/L 120% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 80 µg/L Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 63 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 58.9 µg/L 98% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 38.7 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 25 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 19.33 µg/L 1.9% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 18 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 9.9 µg/L 1% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 8.12 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 6.847 pCi/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 6.12 µg/L 61% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 3.5695 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 2.22 µg/L 2.2% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 1.825 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 1.27 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 0.8295 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 0.6600 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | 0.5600 µg/L 11% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Atrazine | 0.1500 µg/L 5% of the EPA limit 3 µg/L Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| PFOS | 0.0050 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2025 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOA | 0.0043 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2025 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| PFBS | 0.0041 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2025 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.0036 mg/L 24% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION · 16,556 people · 2025 | 1/1 | 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 Bellingham
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| BELLINGHAM DPW WATER SEWER DIVISION | 16,556 |
Frequently asked questions about Bellingham tap water
Is Bellingham tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 25 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?
1 public water supplier report drinking-water monitoring for Bellingham, Massachusetts 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, Barium, TTHM, Chloroform, Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5). 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.