Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in Fargo, ND tap water
17 contaminants were measured in the Fargo, ND water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 17
- Over federal limit
- 0
- Approaching the limit
- 1
- Service area
- ND
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
1 PFAS compound detected in Fargo, ND
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)near national p90 (76.59999999999991 mg/L across detecting U.S. systems)
Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Fargo, ND's drinking water comes from surface water, drawn from 2 sources.
Source
- RED RIVER
- SHEYENNE RIVER
Treatment
- TREATMENT PLANT- CONVENTIONAL
- TREATMENT PLANT-MEMBRANE
Distribution
Historical readings · EPA Six-Year Review (2012–2019)
1 contaminant historically over EPA limits in Fargo, ND
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
BROMATE worst: 2017 | 0.088 mg/L 8.8× | 0.01 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
TTHM worst: 2015 | 0.0637 mg/L within | 0.08 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
HAA5 worst: 2014 | 0.0342 mg/L within | 0.06 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
GROSS ALPHA worst: 2018 | 2.44 pCi/L within | 15 pCi/L | '18 |
FLUORIDE worst: 2018 | 0.625 mg/L within | 4 mg/L | '18 |
ARSENIC worst: 2014 | 0.00108 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.01 mg/L | '14 |
NITRATE NITRITE worst: 2015 | 0.71 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
NITRATE worst: 2014 | 0.66 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '14 |
RADIUM 226 228 worst: 2018 | 0.166 pCi/L within below national p90 | 5 pCi/L | '18 |
NITRITE worst: 2014 | 0.021 mg/L within | 1 mg/L | '14 |
BARIUM worst: 2018 | 0.0376 mg/L within below national p90 | 2 mg/L | '18 |
COPPER worst: 2014 | 0.175 mg/L below national p90 | — | '14'17'19 |
LEAD worst: 2014 | 0.022 mg/L | — | '14'17'19 |
DBAA worst: 2013 | 0.00128 mg/L | — | '13'14'15'17 |
DCAA worst: 2012 | 0.0204 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
MCAA worst: 2014 | 0.00749 mg/L | — | '14'16'17'18'19 |
TCAA worst: 2012 | 0.00119 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'17'18'19 |
BROMODICHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.00222 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
BROMOFORM worst: 2013 | 0.0005 mg/L | — | '13'17 |
CHLOROFORM worst: 2012 | 0.0184 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
DIBROMOCHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.00124 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'16'17'19 |
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChloramineA longer-lasting disinfectant made by combining chlorine with ammonia. | 2.74–2.95 mg/LRangeAt the tap | 4 mg/LMRDL | Within the limit |
Inorganic chemicals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| BromideA naturally occurring salt found in source water. | 34–360 mg/LRangeAt the tap | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| CalciumA naturally occurring mineral that contributes to water hardness. | 42.3 mg/LReported levelAt the tap | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| IronA naturally occurring metal common in groundwater. | 0.01Reported levelSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| ManganeseA naturally occurring metal from soil and rock. | 0.01Reported levelSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| AlkalinityA measure of the water's capacity to neutralize acids. | 205–407 mg/LRangeAt the tap | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Bicarbonate | 489 mg/LReported levelAt the tap | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| HardnessA measure of dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals. | 120Reported levelSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| pHA measure of how acidic or basic the water is. | 9.28Reported levelSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Specific ConductanceA measure of how well water conducts electricity, which tracks dissolved mineral content. | 398–1060 uS/cmRangeAt the tap | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| TOCTotal organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water. | 13.1 mg/LReported levelAt the tap | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Total Dissolved SolidsTotal dissolved solids — the combined content of all dissolved minerals and salts. | 247–657 mg/LRangeAt the tap | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
People also ask about Fargo, ND's water
+Is Fargo, ND tap water safe to drink in 2024?
Every one of the 17 contaminants measured in Fargo, ND's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report is below its federal limit. "Safe" under the EPA's drinking-water standards is health-based, not aesthetic — but by those standards, no measured contaminant in this report exceeds its enforceable threshold. Individual health concerns (e.g. immunocompromised, infant, pregnancy) may warrant additional filtering regardless of compliance.
+What contaminants are in Fargo, ND tap water?
17 contaminants were measured in Fargo, ND's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning physical & aggregate, metals, and disinfection byproducts. 6 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+Are any contaminants in Fargo, ND tap water approaching the federal limit?
One contaminant is between 80% and 100% of the federal limit in this report: Bromate. Approaching means measured but not in violation — a margin that can close quickly if conditions change.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Fargo, ND'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 Fargo, ND'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.