What was found in Elmira'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 | 1519 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 1440 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 818.5 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 194.5 µg/L 9.7% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 76.955 µg/L 96% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 54.07 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 44 µg/L 73% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 22.325 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 21 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 19 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Cyanide | 13 µg/L 6.5% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 9.391 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 7.745 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 5.495 µg/L 5.5% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | 4.07 µg/L 81% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 3.258 µg/L 0.3% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Carbon Tetrachloride | 2.1 µg/L 42% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 1.8675 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 1.797 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroethylene | 1.7775 µg/L 36% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 1.63 pCi/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene | 1.4855 µg/L 2.1% of the EPA limit 70 µg/L Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 1.187 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 1.1 µg/L 7.3% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2016 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 0.9700 µg/L 9.7% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| 1,2-Dichloroethane | 0.8490 µg/L 17% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 0.6300 µg/L 11% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2018 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Antimony, Total | 0.5000 µg/L 8.3% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Thallium, Total | 0.3000 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 0.2792 µg/L 0.9% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0011 mg/L 7.3% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: ELMIRA WATER BOARD · 54,000 people · 2023 | 1/2 | 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 Elmira
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| ELMIRA WATER BOARD | 54,000 |
| ELMIRA WATER BOARD | 54,000 |
Frequently asked questions about Elmira tap water
Is Elmira tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 31 contaminants in the water serving Elmira. 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 Elmira?
2 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Elmira, New York to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Elmira's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Elmira include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Fluoride, Barium, TTHM. 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.