What was found in Bel Air'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 | 4480.5 µg/L 45% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 4309 µg/L 43% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 815 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 82.96 µg/L 104% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 80 µg/L Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 66.96 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 64.47 µg/L 107% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 60 µg/L Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 31.96 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2015 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 28.4 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2015 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 14.995 pCi/L 100% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2017 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 12.11 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 8.56 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2015 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 8.51626 µg/L 28% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2017 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Cyanide | 6 µg/L 3% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 4.545 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2015 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 2.5 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 2.271 pCi/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2017 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 1.5719 pCi/L 31% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2017 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 1.2 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2015 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Atrazine | 0.1000 µg/L 3.3% of the EPA limit 3 µg/L Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Pfpea | 0.0105 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhxa | 0.0095 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOA | 0.0093 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOS | 0.0091 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfba | 0.0087 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| 6:2 Fts | 0.0072 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| PFBS | 0.0071 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhpa | 0.0041 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| PFHXS | 0.0034 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.0020 mg/L 13% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY · 13,200 people · 2023 | 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 Bel Air
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| MARYLAND AMERICAN WATER COMPANY | 13,200 |
Frequently asked questions about Bel Air tap water
Is Bel Air tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 29 contaminants in the water serving Bel Air. 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 Bel Air?
1 public water supplier report drinking-water monitoring for Bel Air, Maryland to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Bel Air's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Bel Air include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Fluoride, TTHM, Chloroform. 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.