Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in Hamden, CT tap water
27 contaminants were measured in the Hamden, CT water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit — 3 sit at or above that limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 27
- Over federal limit
- 3
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Worst contaminant
- Turbidity
- Service area
- CT
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
2 PFAS compounds above EPA limits in Hamden, CT
The EPA finalized the first-ever federal drinking-water limits for six PFAS compounds in April 2024. These numbers come straight from EPA's UCMR5 lab dataset — every U.S. system serving more than 3,300 people tested every PFAS sample at an entry point to its distribution system. PFAS not listed below were either tested and not detected, or not yet sampled.
PFOS (Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid)
● Over EPA limit (2.7×)PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic acid)
● Over EPA limit (1.8×)PFBS
● Detected (no federal limit)PFPeA
● Detected (no federal limit)Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Hamden, CT's drinking water comes from ground water, drawn from 37 sources.
Source
- NORTH SLEEPING GIANT · 5
- NORTH CHESHIRE · 4
- SEYMOUR · 4
- LAKE DAWSON · 2
- + 16 more
Treatment
- LAKE GAILLARD TREATMENT PLANT
- LAKE SALTONSTALL WATER TREATMENT PLANT
- LAKE WHITNEY WATER TREATMENT PLANT
- + 9 more
Distribution
Also buys water from SOUTHINGTON WATER DEPARTMENT, AQUARION-VALLEY, and 3 more.
Compliance history
Federal Safe Drinking Water Act violation & enforcement records (EPA SDWIS). A violation is a regulatory determination by the state or EPA — separate from the measured levels above.
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. | 0–98 NTUAverageRemoval Ratio During 2024 | None set | At or above the limit |
| TOCTotal organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water. | 1.35–2.59Reported levelAll Reservoirs | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Disinfection byproducts
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HAA5Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter. | 12.4–40.7 ug/LReported levelAverage Level and Range Detected During 2024 | None set | Within the limit |
| BromodichloromethaneA trihalomethane disinfection byproduct. | 3.5–10.6 ug/LReported levelDistribution | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| ChloroformA trihalomethane formed when chlorine reacts with organic matter in water. | 15.9–52.6 ug/LReported levelDistribution | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| DibromochloromethaneA trihalomethane disinfection byproduct. | 0–1.6 ug/LReported levelDistribution | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. | 0–2.7 mg/LAverageAverage Level and Range Detected During 2024 | 4 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
Inorganic chemicals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| NitrateA compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits. | 0–4.61 mg/LAverageAverage Level and Range Detected During 2024 | 10 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
| FluorideA mineral often added to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay. | 0.17–1.3 mg/LAverageAverage Level and Range Detected During 2024 | 4 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
| ChlorideA naturally occurring salt compound. | 2.9–105 mg/LAverageAverage Level and Range Detected During 2024 | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| SulfateA naturally occurring mineral from rock and soil. | 6.4–38.6 mg/LAverageAverage Level and Range Detected During 2024 | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| CopperA metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. | 0.27 mg/L90th percentileAt the tap | 1.3 mg/LAction level | Within the limit |
| BariumA metal from erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge. | 0.004–0.26 mg/LAverageAverage Level and Range Detected During 2024 | 2 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
| LeadA toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. | 0.0 mg/L90th percentileAt the tap | 0.015 mg/LAction level | None detected |
| ManganeseA naturally occurring metal from soil and rock. | 0–0.21 mg/LReported levelAverage Level and Range Detected During 2024 | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| SodiumA naturally occurring salt component. | 7.4–50.8 mg/LReported levelAverage Level and Range Detected During 2024 | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Microbial
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Escherichia coli (E. coli)Escherichia coli — bacteria found in the gut of humans and animals. | 0 %MaximumLevel Detected During 2024 | None set | None detected |
Other
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dbaa | 0–0.9 ug/LReported levelDistribution | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Dcaa | 4.1–15.1 ug/LReported levelDistribution | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Mbaa | 0–2.6 ug/LReported levelDistribution | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Mcaa | 1–5.7 ug/LReported levelDistribution | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Tcaa | 4.5–22.4 ug/LReported levelDistribution | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Radionuclides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| RadonA naturally occurring radioactive gas that can dissolve into groundwater. | 0–1856 pCi/LReported levelAverage Level and Range Detected During 2024 | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
People also ask about Hamden, CT's water
+Is Hamden, CT tap water safe to drink in 2024?
The 2024 Consumer Confidence Report for the Hamden, CT water utility lists 3 contaminants at or above the federal limit: Turbidity, PFOS, and PFOA. Whether that means the water is "unsafe" depends on which contaminant, how long the exposure, and individual health factors. The table on this page shows the measured value, the federal threshold, and the regulated statistic used for compliance.
+What contaminants are in Hamden, CT tap water?
27 contaminants were measured in Hamden, CT's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning metals, other, and disinfection byproducts. 8 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+Which contaminants exceed federal limits in Hamden, CT tap water?
3 contaminants in Hamden, CT's 2024 report sit at or above the federal limit: Turbidity (98.0× the limit); PFOS (2.7× the limit); PFOA (1.8× the limit). The EPA enforces these limits against the regulated reporting statistic — typically a running annual average or 90th percentile — not a one-off sample spike.
+What is the worst contaminant in Hamden, CT tap water?
The contaminant with the highest measured value relative to its federal limit in the 2024 report is Turbidity, at 98.0× the federal threshold. It belongs to the physical & aggregate family of contaminants.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Hamden, CT's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. public water utility is required by federal law to publish. The original source document is archived and viewable on this site. A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
+How often is Hamden, CT's water quality data updated?
Each U.S. public water utility publishes one Consumer Confidence Report per year, covering the prior calendar year's measurements. This page reflects the 2024 report; a new report will replace it once the utility publishes its next annual update.