Drinking water quality · 2023
· Verified
What's in Baltimore, MD tap water
3 contaminants were measured in the Baltimore, MD water system's 2023 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit — 1 sit at or above that limit.
- Reporting year
- 2023
- Contaminants measured
- 3
- Over federal limit
- 1
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Worst contaminant
- TTHM
- Service area
- MD
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
1 PFAS compound detected in Baltimore, MD
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.
PFPeA
● Detected (no federal limit)Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Baltimore, MD's drinking water comes from surface water, drawn from 3 sources.
Source
- LIBERTY RESERVOIR
- LOCH RAVEN
- SUSQUEHANNA
Treatment
- ASHBURTON FILTER PLANT
- MONTEBELLO FILTER PLANT 1 + 2
Distribution
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.
- Maximum contaminant level exceededHealth-based4 violations on record · most recent Sep 2022resolved
- Treatment technique violationHealth-based2 violations on record · most recent Apr 2009resolved
Source: EPA SDWIS / ECHO. View the full federal record on EPA ECHO ↗
Disinfection byproducts
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TTHMTotal trihalomethanes — a group of four chemicals (including chloroform) formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter. | 23.6–91.2 ug/LRangeSystem-wide | None set | At or above the limit |
| HAA5Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter. | 9.3–39.3 ug/LRangeSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| CopperA metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. | 0.029 mg/L90th percentileAt the tap | 1.3 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
People also ask about Baltimore, MD's water
+Is Baltimore, MD tap water safe to drink in 2023?
The 2023 Consumer Confidence Report for the Baltimore, MD water utility lists 1 contaminant at or above the federal limit: TTHM. 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 Baltimore, MD tap water?
3 contaminants were measured in Baltimore, MD's 2023 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning disinfection byproducts and metals. 1 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 Baltimore, MD tap water?
One contaminant in Baltimore, MD's 2023 report sits at or above the federal limit: TTHM (1.1× 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 Baltimore, MD tap water?
The contaminant with the highest measured value relative to its federal limit in the 2023 report is TTHM, at 1.1× the federal threshold. It belongs to the disinfection byproducts family of contaminants.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Baltimore, MD's 2023 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 Baltimore, MD'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 2023 report; a new report will replace it once the utility publishes its next annual update.