Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in Carmel, IN tap water
25 contaminants were measured in the Carmel, IN water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit — 1 sit at or above that limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 25
- Over federal limit
- 1
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Worst contaminant
- pH
- Service area
- IN
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
1 PFAS compound detected in Carmel, IN
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.
Lithium
● Detected (no federal limit)below national p90 (76.59999999999991 mg/L across detecting U.S. systems)
Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Carmel, IN's drinking water comes from ground water, drawn from 20 sources.
Source
- WELL · 20
Treatment
- TREATMENT PLANT #7 (PLANT 1B)
- TREATMENT PLANT #5A
- TREATMENT PLANT #6 (PLANT 1A)
- + 3 more
Distribution
Historical readings · EPA Six-Year Review (2012–2019)
19 historically-detected contaminants in Carmel, IN
Every U.S. public water system reports compliance-monitoring data to EPA. The Six-Year Review releases the 2012–2019 window as a single dataset — here's what your system reported, year by year. Values shown are the highest detection per analyte per year, compared to the federal MCL.
| Contaminant | Worst detection | EPA limit | Years (2012–2019) |
|---|---|---|---|
TTHM worst: 2016 | 0.0481 mg/L within | 0.08 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
HAA5 worst: 2018 | 0.0318 mg/L within | 0.06 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
GROSS ALPHA worst: 2014 | 6.7 pCi/L within | 15 pCi/L | '14 |
ANTIMONY worst: 2015 | 0.0023 mg/L within near national p90 | 0.006 mg/L | '14'15 |
FLUORIDE worst: 2015 | 1.12 mg/L within | 4 mg/L | '13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
ARSENIC worst: 2018 | 0.0018 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.01 mg/L | '12'14'15'18 |
NITRATE worst: 2016 | 1.29 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
MERCURY worst: 2014 | 0.0002 mg/L within | 0.002 mg/L | '14 |
SELENIUM worst: 2018 | 0.0044 mg/L within | 0.05 mg/L | '14'17'18 |
BARIUM worst: 2017 | 0.172 mg/L within near national p90 | 2 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
NITRATE NITRITE worst: 2013 | 0.182 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '13 |
CHROMIUM worst: 2014 | 0.001 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.1 mg/L | '14'17 |
URANIUM worst: 2014 | 0.0066 ug/L within below national p90 | 30 ug/L | '12'13'14 |
COPPER worst: 2017 | 0.211 mg/L below national p90 | — | '17 |
LEAD worst: 2017 | 0.0073 mg/L | — | '17 |
BROMODICHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.0054 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15 |
BROMOFORM worst: 2012 | 0.0007 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15 |
CHLOROFORM worst: 2012 | 0.004 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15 |
DIBROMOCHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.0046 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15 |
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pHA measure of how acidic or basic the water is. | 7.69AverageSystem Wide [Avg] | 6.5MCL | At or above the limit |
| TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. | 12 NTUReported levelMonths Monitored | 95 NTUTreatment technique | Within the limit |
| HardnessA measure of dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals. | 12.3AverageSystem Wide [Avg] | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| TOCTotal organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water. | Not detected mg/LAverageSystem Wide (Avg) | 0 mg/LTreatment technique | Detected — no federal limit |
+By source (2)— Months Monitored, System Wide (Avg)
| |||
Radionuclides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combined RadiumCombined radium-226 and radium-228 — naturally occurring radioactive elements. | 2.4 pCi/LMaximumSystem-wide | 5 pCi/LMCL | Within the limit |
| Gross Beta Particle ActivityGross beta particle activity — a combined measure of beta-emitting radioactive substances. | 7.4 pCi/LMaximumSystem-wide | 0 pCi/LMCL | Detected — no federal limit |
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. | 0.99 mg/LAverageSystem Wide [Avg] | 4 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
Metals
Microbial
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total ColiformA group of bacteria used as an indicator of overall water-system sanitation. | 0.1 %AverageSystem Wide [Avg] | 5 %MCL | Within the limit |
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorobutanesulfonic acidPerfluorobutanesulfonic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' | 0–2.9 ng/LRangeSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acidPerfluoroheptanoic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical.' | 0.99 ng/LHighest single sampleSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perfluorohexanesulfonic acidPerfluorohexanesulfonic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical.' | 1 ng/LHighest single sampleSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perfluorohexanoic acidPerfluorohexanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' | 0–2.5 ng/LRangeSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perfluoropentanoic acidPerfluoropentanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' | 0–3.9 ng/LRangeSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| PFBAPerfluorobutanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' | 4.1 ng/LHighest single sampleSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| PFOAPerfluorooctanoic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical' once used in nonstick and stain-resistant products. | 1.4 ng/LHighest single sampleSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
People also ask about Carmel, IN's water
+Is Carmel, IN tap water safe to drink in 2024?
The 2024 Consumer Confidence Report for the Carmel, IN water utility lists 1 contaminant at or above the federal limit: pH. 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 Carmel, IN tap water?
25 contaminants were measured in Carmel, IN's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning pfas ("forever chemicals"), metals, and physical & aggregate. 15 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 Carmel, IN tap water?
One contaminant in Carmel, IN's 2024 report sits at or above the federal limit: pH (1.2× 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 Carmel, IN tap water?
The contaminant with the highest measured value relative to its federal limit in the 2024 report is pH, at 1.2× 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 Carmel, IN'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 Carmel, IN'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.