What was found in Shepherdstown'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-Nitrite | 1240 µg/L 12% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: CORPORATION OF SHEPHERDSTOWN · 4,300 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 8000 µg/L — CHARLES TOWN UTL-CAVALAND SUBDIVISION · 107 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate | 1440 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: CORPORATION OF SHEPHERDSTOWN · 4,300 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 7780 µg/L — CHARLES TOWN UTL-CAVALAND SUBDIVISION · 107 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 1147.5 µg/L 29% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: CORPORATION OF SHEPHERDSTOWN · 4,300 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 300 µg/L 30% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: CHARLES TOWN UTL-CAVALAND SUBDIVISION · 107 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 78.805 µg/L 3.9% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: CORPORATION OF SHEPHERDSTOWN · 4,300 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 153.7 µg/L — CHARLES TOWN UTL-CAVALAND SUBDIVISION · 107 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 94.17 µg/L 7.2% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: CORPORATION OF SHEPHERDSTOWN · 4,300 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 131 µg/L — CHARLES TOWN UTL-CAVALAND SUBDIVISION · 107 people · 2018 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 116.6 µg/L 146% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 80 µg/L Main supplier: CORPORATION OF SHEPHERDSTOWN · 4,300 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 72.82 µg/L 121% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 60 µg/L Main supplier: CORPORATION OF SHEPHERDSTOWN · 4,300 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 71.24 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CORPORATION OF SHEPHERDSTOWN · 4,300 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 37.68 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CORPORATION OF SHEPHERDSTOWN · 4,300 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 34.8 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CORPORATION OF SHEPHERDSTOWN · 4,300 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 31.45 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CORPORATION OF SHEPHERDSTOWN · 4,300 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Cyanide | 22 µg/L 11% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Main supplier: CORPORATION OF SHEPHERDSTOWN · 4,300 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 13.92 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CORPORATION OF SHEPHERDSTOWN · 4,300 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 8.2925 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CORPORATION OF SHEPHERDSTOWN · 4,300 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 4.225 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CORPORATION OF SHEPHERDSTOWN · 4,300 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 2.71 µg/L 18% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: CORPORATION OF SHEPHERDSTOWN · 4,300 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 3.63 µg/L — CHARLES TOWN UTL-CAVALAND SUBDIVISION · 107 people · 2018 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 3.192 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CORPORATION OF SHEPHERDSTOWN · 4,300 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 1.944 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CORPORATION OF SHEPHERDSTOWN · 4,300 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 1.921 pCi/L 13% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Highest in the city: CHARLES TOWN UTL-CAVALAND SUBDIVISION · 107 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 1.59 µg/L 1.6% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Highest in the city: CHARLES TOWN UTL-CAVALAND SUBDIVISION · 107 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 1.07 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: CORPORATION OF SHEPHERDSTOWN · 4,300 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 0.4200 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: CORPORATION OF SHEPHERDSTOWN · 4,300 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Antimony, Total | 0.3000 µg/L 5% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Main supplier: CORPORATION OF SHEPHERDSTOWN · 4,300 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0017 mg/L 11% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: CORPORATION OF SHEPHERDSTOWN · 4,300 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0020 mg/L — CHARLES TOWN UTL-CAVALAND SUBDIVISION · 107 people · 2027 | 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 Shepherdstown
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| CORPORATION OF SHEPHERDSTOWN | 4,300 |
| CHARLES TOWN UTL-CAVALAND SUBDIVISION | 107 |
Frequently asked questions about Shepherdstown tap water
Is Shepherdstown tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 25 contaminants in the water serving Shepherdstown. 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 Shepherdstown?
2 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Shepherdstown, West Virginia to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Shepherdstown's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Shepherdstown include Nitrate-Nitrite, Nitrate, Fluoride, Nitrite, Barium. 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.