What was found in Terra Alta'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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | 461 µg/L 35% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: TERRA ALTA WATER WORKS · 1,856 people · 2017
Highest in the city: 1119 µg/L — ALPINE LAKE PUBLIC UTILITIES · 1,325 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 770 µg/L 19% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: TERRA ALTA WATER WORKS · 1,856 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 240 µg/L 2.4% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: TERRA ALTA WATER WORKS · 1,856 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 297.5 µg/L — ALPINE LAKE PUBLIC UTILITIES · 1,325 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 278.25 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: TERRA ALTA WATER WORKS · 1,856 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate | 250 µg/L 2.5% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: ALPINE LAKE PUBLIC UTILITIES · 1,325 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 240 µg/L 24% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: TERRA ALTA WATER WORKS · 1,856 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 23.3 µg/L 29% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: TERRA ALTA WATER WORKS · 1,856 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 29.3 µg/L — ALPINE LAKE PUBLIC UTILITIES · 1,325 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 13.4 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: TERRA ALTA WATER WORKS · 1,856 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 24.525 µg/L — ALPINE LAKE PUBLIC UTILITIES · 1,325 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 20.8 µg/L 35% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: TERRA ALTA WATER WORKS · 1,856 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 20.94 µg/L — ALPINE LAKE PUBLIC UTILITIES · 1,325 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 6.845 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: TERRA ALTA WATER WORKS · 1,856 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 16.277 µg/L — ALPINE LAKE PUBLIC UTILITIES · 1,325 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 9.88 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: TERRA ALTA WATER WORKS · 1,856 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 8.39 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: TERRA ALTA WATER WORKS · 1,856 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 7.91 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: TERRA ALTA WATER WORKS · 1,856 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 7.315 µg/L 49% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: TERRA ALTA WATER WORKS · 1,856 people · 2017
Highest in the city: 7.75 µg/L — ALPINE LAKE PUBLIC UTILITIES · 1,325 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 3.018 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: TERRA ALTA WATER WORKS · 1,856 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 2.98 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: TERRA ALTA WATER WORKS · 1,856 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 2.65 µg/L 2.7% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: TERRA ALTA WATER WORKS · 1,856 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 0.7372 pCi/L 4.9% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Main supplier: TERRA ALTA WATER WORKS · 1,856 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 2.34 pCi/L — ALPINE LAKE PUBLIC UTILITIES · 1,325 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 1.9025 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: TERRA ALTA WATER WORKS · 1,856 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 1 µg/L 2% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: TERRA ALTA WATER WORKS · 1,856 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 0.7745 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: TERRA ALTA WATER WORKS · 1,856 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0031 mg/L 21% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: TERRA ALTA WATER WORKS · 1,856 people · 2023 | 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 Terra Alta
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| TERRA ALTA WATER WORKS | 1,856 |
| ALPINE LAKE PUBLIC UTILITIES | 1,325 |
Frequently asked questions about Terra Alta tap water
Is Terra Alta tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 22 contaminants in the water serving Terra Alta. 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 Terra Alta?
2 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Terra Alta, West Virginia to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Terra Alta's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Terra Alta include Copper, Fluoride, Nitrate-Nitrite, Barium, Nitrate. 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.