# Fargo, ND — Drinking Water Quality (2024)

> Contaminant levels for the Fargo, ND public water system from its 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, compared to federal limits.

- Page: https://www.thewatermap.com/water/nd/fargo/2024
- JSON API: https://www.thewatermap.com/api/water/nd/fargo/2024
- Source: the utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
- Verification: transcribed by a model, cross-checked by a second model, approved before publishing
- Reporting year: 2024
- Contaminants measured: 17
- Contaminants with a federal limit: 6
- Contaminants at or above the federal limit: 0
- Part of The Water Map — https://www.thewatermap.com

## Contaminants measured

| Contaminant | Category | Measured level | Sampling context | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chloramine | Disinfectants | 2.74–2.95 mg/L (Range) | At the tap | 4 mg/L (MRDL) | Within the limit |
| Bromate | Disinfection byproducts | 0–9.1 ug/L (Range) | At the tap | 10 ug/L (MCL) | Approaching the limit |
| HAA5 | Disinfection byproducts | 0–10.48 ug/L (Range) | At the tap | 60 ug/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| TTHM | Disinfection byproducts | 0–18.05 ug/L (Range) | At the tap | 80 ug/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Bromide | Inorganic chemicals | 34–360 mg/L (Range) | At the tap | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Calcium | Metals | 42.3 mg/L (Reported level) | At the tap | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Copper | Metals | 0.0687 mg/L (90th percentile) | At the tap | 1.3 mg/L (Action level) | Within the limit |
| Iron | Metals | 0.01 (Reported level) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Lead | Metals | 2.34 ug/L (90th percentile) | At the tap | 15 ug/L (Action level) | Within the limit |
| Manganese | Metals | 0.01 (Reported level) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Alkalinity | Physical & aggregate | 205–407 mg/L (Range) | At the tap | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Bicarbonate | Physical & aggregate | 489 mg/L (Reported level) | At the tap | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Hardness | Physical & aggregate | 120 (Reported level) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| pH | Physical & aggregate | 9.28 (Reported level) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Specific Conductance | Physical & aggregate | 398–1060 uS/cm (Range) | At the tap | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| TOC | Physical & aggregate | 13.1 mg/L (Reported level) | At the tap | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Total Dissolved Solids | Physical & aggregate | 247–657 mg/L (Range) | At the tap | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |

## What these contaminants are

- **Chloramine** — A longer-lasting disinfectant made by combining chlorine with ammonia. Holds disinfection further into the pipe network, but is regulated under the same residual-disinfectant cap as chlorine.
- **Bromate** — A disinfection byproduct formed when bromide-containing water is treated with ozone. Classified as a probable human carcinogen; the EPA sets a strict maximum contaminant level.
- **HAA5** — Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter. Long-term exposure above the federal limit is associated with an increased cancer risk.
- **TTHM** — Total trihalomethanes — a group of four chemicals (including chloroform) formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter. Long-term exposure above the federal limit is linked to liver, kidney, and central-nervous-system effects and increased cancer risk.
- **Bromide** — A naturally occurring salt found in source water. Not directly regulated, but a precursor that increases formation of brominated disinfection byproducts.
- **Calcium** — A naturally occurring mineral that contributes to water hardness. Not federally regulated for health; affects scaling and taste.
- **Copper** — A metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. Short-term exposure causes stomach distress; long-term exposure can damage the liver and kidneys.
- **Iron** — A naturally occurring metal common in groundwater. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; causes rusty color, staining, and metallic taste.
- **Lead** — A toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. There is no safe level of lead; it harms brain development in children and raises blood pressure in adults. The EPA sets an action level, not a health goal above zero.
- **Manganese** — A naturally occurring metal from soil and rock. No enforceable federal limit; high levels stain fixtures and laundry and can affect taste, with a health advisory for infants.
- **Alkalinity** — A measure of the water's capacity to neutralize acids. Not federally regulated for health; relevant to corrosion control and treatment.
- **Hardness** — A measure of dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals. Not federally regulated for health; affects scaling, soap use, and taste.
- **pH** — A measure of how acidic or basic the water is. Regulated only as a secondary standard; very low or high pH can corrode pipes or affect taste.
- **Specific Conductance** — A measure of how well water conducts electricity, which tracks dissolved mineral content. Not federally regulated for health; used as a proxy for total dissolved solids.
- **TOC** — Total organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water. Not harmful itself, but it is the raw material that forms disinfection byproducts; removal is a treatment requirement.
- **Total Dissolved Solids** — Total dissolved solids — the combined content of all dissolved minerals and salts. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; high levels affect taste and hardness.

## How to read this

- A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
- 'Federal limit' is the EPA standard (MCL, action level, treatment technique, etc.) that the measured level is compared against.
- 'At or above the federal limit' means the utility's own reported figure met or exceeded that standard.

_Figures are the utility's own published numbers. Generated 2026-05-25 from thewatermap.com._