Drinking water quality · 2024

What's in Manchester, NH tap water

18 contaminants were measured in the Manchester, NH water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit — 1 sit at or above that limit.

Browse the mapFull source report ↗

Reporting year: 2024
Contaminants measured: 18
Over federal limit: 1
Approaching the limit: 0
Worst contaminant: PFOA
Service area: NH
Source: Utility CCR

At or above the federal limit

PFOA
PFAS ("forever chemicals") · Range
5.59–6.51 ng/L
limit 4 ng/L · 1.6× the limit

PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)

1 PFAS compound above EPA limits in Manchester, NH

About this data

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.

PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic acid)

● Over EPA limit (1.3×)

Measured 5 ng/LEPA limit 4 ng/LSample year 2023Samples 4 detect / 4

Source:EPA UCMR5· 2023 · 4 samples · 4 detected↗

See every U.S. water system over the EPA PFAS limit →

PWSID NH1471010 · Source: EPA UCMR5. Limits per EPA's April 2024 PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation. PFAS values reported in nanograms per liter (ng/L) — note that 1 ng/L = 1 part per trillion.

Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS

Manchester, NH's drinking water comes from surface water, drawn from 2 sources.

Source

2surface water

LAKE MASSABESIC /RAW
MERRIMACK RVR RADIAL COLL WELL RCW

Treatment

2treatment plants

TREATMENT PLANT /FINISHED
MERRIMACK RVR TREATMENT PLANT

Distribution

0storage units

Source: EPA SDWIS facilities inventory. Methodology.

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-based
1 violation on record · most recent Jul 2013
resolved

Source: EPA SDWIS / ECHO. View the full federal record on EPA ECHO ↗

Inorganic chemicals

Contaminant	Measured	Federal limit	Status
NitriteA compound from fertilizer runoff, sewage, and erosion of natural deposits.	0–0.2 mg/LRangeLake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant	1 mg/LMCL	Within the limit
+By source (2)— Lake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant, Merrimack River Water Treatment Plant Lake Massabesic Water Treatment PlantPlant range0–0.2 mg/L20% of limit Merrimack River Water Treatment PlantPlant range0–0.2 mg/L20% of limit
FluorideA mineral often added to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay.	0.6–0.76 mg/LRangeLake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant	4 mg/LMCL	Within the limit
+By source (2)— Lake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant, Merrimack River Water Treatment Plant Lake Massabesic Water Treatment PlantPlant range0.6–0.76 mg/L19% of limit Merrimack River Water Treatment PlantPlant range0.45–0.71 mg/L18% of limit
NitrateA compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits.	0.02–0.51 mg/LRangeMerrimack River Water Treatment Plant	10 mg/LMCL	Within the limit
+By source (2)— Merrimack River Water Treatment Plant, Lake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant Merrimack River Water Treatment PlantPlant range0.02–0.51 mg/L5% of limit Lake Massabesic Water Treatment PlantPlant range0.021–0.2 mg/L2% of limit
ChlorideA naturally occurring salt compound.	65–83 mg/LRangeMerrimack River Water Treatment Plant	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (2)— Merrimack River Water Treatment Plant, Lake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant Merrimack River Water Treatment PlantPlant range65–83 mg/L Lake Massabesic Water Treatment PlantPlant range7–41 mg/L
SulfateA naturally occurring mineral from rock and soil.	20–41 mg/LRangeLake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (2)— Lake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant, Merrimack River Water Treatment Plant Lake Massabesic Water Treatment PlantPlant range20–41 mg/L Merrimack River Water Treatment PlantPlant range6–7 mg/L

Metals

Contaminant	Measured	Federal limit	Status
CopperA metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing.	0.0047–0.162 mg/LRangeLake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant	None set	Within the limit
+By source (2)— Lake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant, Merrimack River Water Treatment Plant Lake Massabesic Water Treatment PlantPlant range0.0047–0.162 mg/L12% of limit Merrimack River Water Treatment PlantPlant 0% of limit
BariumA metal from erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge.	0.0072–0.0112 mg/LRangeLake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant	2 mg/LMCL	Within the limit
+By source (2)— Lake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant, Merrimack River Water Treatment Plant Lake Massabesic Water Treatment PlantPlant range0.0072–0.0112 mg/L1% of limit Merrimack River Water Treatment PlantPlant range0.0055–0.008 mg/L0% of 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.	3.9–7.5 ug/LRangeLake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (2)— Lake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant, Merrimack River Water Treatment Plant Lake Massabesic Water Treatment PlantPlant range3.9–7.5 ug/L Merrimack River Water Treatment PlantPlant
SodiumA naturally occurring salt component.	41.9–63.3 mg/LRangeLake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (2)— Lake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant, Merrimack River Water Treatment Plant Lake Massabesic Water Treatment PlantPlant range41.9–63.3 mg/L Merrimack River Water Treatment PlantPlant range45.9–58.6 mg/L
ZincA naturally occurring metal that can also enter water from corroding pipes.	0.001–0.0017 mg/LRangeMerrimack River Water Treatment Plant	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (2)— Merrimack River Water Treatment Plant, Lake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant Merrimack River Water Treatment PlantPlant range0.001–0.0017 mg/L Lake Massabesic Water Treatment PlantPlant range0.001–0.0011 mg/L

Physical & aggregate

Contaminant	Measured	Federal limit	Status
TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water.	0.057 NTUReported levelLake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant	None set	Within the limit
+By source (2)— Lake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant, Merrimack River Water Treatment Plant Lake Massabesic Water Treatment PlantPlant 6% of limit Merrimack River Water Treatment PlantPlant 5% of limit
pHA measure of how acidic or basic the water is.	7.71–8.03RangeLake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (2)— Lake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant, Merrimack River Water Treatment Plant Lake Massabesic Water Treatment PlantPlant range7.71–8.03 Merrimack River Water Treatment PlantPlant range7.5–7.82
TOCTotal organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water.	1.67–2.35 mg/LRangeLake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (2)— Lake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant, Merrimack River Water Treatment Plant Lake Massabesic Water Treatment PlantPlant range1.67–2.35 mg/L Merrimack River Water Treatment PlantPlant range0.56–1.04 mg/L

Disinfection byproducts

Contaminant	Measured	Federal limit	Status
HAA5Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter.	1.2–3.1 ug/LRangeLake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant	None set	Within the limit
+By source (2)— Lake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant, Merrimack River Water Treatment Plant Lake Massabesic Water Treatment PlantPlant range1.2–3.1 ug/L5% of limit Merrimack River Water Treatment PlantPlant range1.2–3.1 ug/L5% of limit
TTHMTotal trihalomethanes — a group of four chemicals (including chloroform) formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter.	1.1–4 ug/LRangeLake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant	None set	Within the limit
+By source (2)— Lake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant, Merrimack River Water Treatment Plant Lake Massabesic Water Treatment PlantPlant range1.1–4 ug/L5% of limit Merrimack River Water Treatment PlantPlant range1.1–4 ug/L5% of limit

PFAS ("forever chemicals")

Contaminant	Measured	Federal limit	Status
PFBAPerfluorobutanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.'	1.11–4.16 ng/LRangeLake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (2)— Lake Massabesic Water Treatment Plant, Merrimack River Water Treatment Plant Lake Massabesic Water Treatment PlantPlant range1.11–4.16 ng/L Merrimack River Water Treatment PlantPlant range1.02–1.76 ng/L

Source: Manchester, NH's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. utility is required to publish. The numbers on this page are the utility's own. A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.