What was found in Norman'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 | 752 µg/L 7.5% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 1350 µg/L — WILDFIRE ESTATES HOMEOWNERS · 285 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 878.4 µg/L 8.8% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 1060 µg/L — WILDFIRE ESTATES HOMEOWNERS · 285 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 796.2 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 422.8 µg/L 21% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 281.8 µg/L 28% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 89.9 µg/L 90% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 84.96 µg/L 6.5% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 30.71 µg/L 38% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 24.075 µg/L 80% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 21.03 µg/L 35% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 19.555 pCi/L 130% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 15 pCi/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 19.285 µg/L 39% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Cyanide | 18.1 µg/L 9.1% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 17.7 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2025 | 1/3 | UCMR-5 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 15.355 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 15.2 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 11.9 µg/L 119% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 10 µg/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 11.065 µg/L 1.1% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 9.5345 pCi/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 7.087 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 5.6015 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 5.83 µg/L — OKLAHOMA UNIVERSITY · 34,000 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 5.778 µg/L 39% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 3.559 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Antimony, Total | 3.4825 µg/L 58% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 2.5595 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 2.351 pCi/L 47% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 1.434 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Simazine | 1.16 µg/L 29% of the EPA limit 4 µg/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 1.06 µg/L 18% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Dichloromethane | 0.6100 µg/L 12% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Thallium, Total | 0.3988 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| 2,4-D | 0.2850 µg/L 0.4% of the EPA limit 70 µg/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Pentachlorophenol | 0.1600 µg/L 16% of the EPA limit 1 µg/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Cadmium | 0.1437 µg/L 2.9% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Pfba | 0.0075 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2025 | 1/3 | UCMR-5 |
| PFBS | 0.0030 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2025 | 1/3 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.00055 mg/L 3.7% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY · 104,868 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0016 mg/L — OKLAHOMA UNIVERSITY · 34,000 people · 2025 | 3/3 | 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 Norman
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| NORMAN UTILITIES AUTHORITY | 104,868 |
| OKLAHOMA UNIVERSITY | 34,000 |
| WILDFIRE ESTATES HOMEOWNERS | 285 |
Frequently asked questions about Norman tap water
Is Norman tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 37 contaminants in the water serving Norman. 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 Norman?
3 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Norman, Oklahoma to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Norman's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Norman include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Fluoride, Barium, Nitrite. 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.