What was found in Paw Paw'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 | 1600 µg/L 16% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: PAW PAW WATER WORKS · 524 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 796 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Highest in the city: PAW PAW WATER WORKS · 524 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 113.04 µg/L 8.7% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: PAW PAW ROUTE 19 PSD · 1,257 people · 2017
Highest in the city: 438.05 µg/L — PAW PAW WATER WORKS · 524 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 410 µg/L 4.1% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: PAW PAW WATER WORKS · 524 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 290 µg/L 29% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: PAW PAW WATER WORKS · 524 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 123 µg/L 154% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 80 µg/L Main supplier: PAW PAW ROUTE 19 PSD · 1,257 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 112 µg/L 187% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 60 µg/L Main supplier: PAW PAW ROUTE 19 PSD · 1,257 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 98.55 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAW PAW ROUTE 19 PSD · 1,257 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 64.75 µg/L 3.2% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Highest in the city: PAW PAW WATER WORKS · 524 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 59.65 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAW PAW ROUTE 19 PSD · 1,257 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 47.4 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAW PAW ROUTE 19 PSD · 1,257 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 13.95 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAW PAW ROUTE 19 PSD · 1,257 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 31.14 µg/L — PAW PAW WATER WORKS · 524 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 1.83 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAW PAW ROUTE 19 PSD · 1,257 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 25.445 µg/L — PAW PAW WATER WORKS · 524 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 3.26 µg/L 22% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: PAW PAW ROUTE 19 PSD · 1,257 people · 2017
Highest in the city: 14.32 µg/L — PAW PAW WATER WORKS · 524 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 0.2700 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAW PAW ROUTE 19 PSD · 1,257 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 6.725 µg/L — PAW PAW WATER WORKS · 524 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 5.4145 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAW PAW ROUTE 19 PSD · 1,257 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 5.3375 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAW PAW ROUTE 19 PSD · 1,257 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 0.5700 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAW PAW ROUTE 19 PSD · 1,257 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 3.17 µg/L — PAW PAW WATER WORKS · 524 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 2.4 µg/L 4.8% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Highest in the city: PAW PAW WATER WORKS · 524 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 1 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Highest in the city: PAW PAW WATER WORKS · 524 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 0.1100 pCi/L 2.2% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Highest in the city: PAW PAW WATER WORKS · 524 people · 2013 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Ethylene Dibromide | 0.0250 µg/L 50% of the EPA limit 0.0500 µg/L Highest in the city: PAW PAW WATER WORKS · 524 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0029 mg/L 19% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: PAW PAW ROUTE 19 PSD · 1,257 people · 2024 | 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 Paw Paw
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| PAW PAW ROUTE 19 PSD | 1,257 |
| PAW PAW WATER WORKS | 524 |
Frequently asked questions about Paw Paw tap water
Is Paw Paw tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 23 contaminants in the water serving Paw Paw. 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 Paw Paw?
2 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Paw Paw, West Virginia to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Paw Paw's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Paw Paw include Nitrate, Fluoride, Copper, Nitrate-Nitrite, 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.