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Is Hagerstown Tap Water Safe to Drink?

Yes! Generally Safe to Drink*

LAST UPDATED: 7:47 pm, July 21, 2022
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Table of Contents

Can You Drink Tap Water in Hagerstown?

Yes, Hagerstown's tap water is generally considered safe to drink as Hagerstown has no active health based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) that we are aware of. Other factors such as lead piping in a home, or low levels of pollutants on immunocompromised individuals, should also be considered, however. To find more recent info we might have, you can check out our boil water notice page or the city's water provider website.

According the EPA’s ECHO database, from April 30, 2019 to June 30, 2022, Hagerstown's water utility, City of Hagerstown, had 0 violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. For more details on the violations, please see our violation history section below. The last violation for Hagerstown was resolved on Sept. 30, 2015. This assessment is based on the City of Hagerstown water system, other water systems in the city may have different results.

While tap water that meets the EPA health guidelines generally won’t make you sick to your stomach, it can still contain regulated and unregulated contaminants present in trace amounts that could potentially cause health issues over the long-run. These trace contaminants may also impact immunocompromised and vulnerable individuals.

The EPA is reviewing if it’s current regulations around pollutant levels in tap water are strict enough, and the health dangers posed by unregulated pollutants, like PFAS.

Water Quality Report for Hagerstown Tap Water

The most recent publicly available numbers for measured contaminant levels in Hagerstown tap water are in its 2020 Water Quality Report. As you can see, there are levels which the EPA considers to be acceptable, but being below the maximum allowable level doesn’t necessarily mean the water is healthy.

Lead in tap water, for example, is currently allowed at up to 15ppb by the EPA, but it has set the ideal goal for lead at zero. This highlights how meeting EPA standards doesn’t necessarily mean local tap water is healthy.

EPA regulations continue to change as it evaluates the long term impacts of chemicals and updates drinking water acceptable levels. The rules around arsenic, as well as, lead and copper are currently being re-evaluated.

There are also a number of "emerging" contaminants that are not currently. For example, PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), for which the EPA has issued a health advisory. PFAS are called "forever chemicals" since they tend not to break down in the environment or the human body and can accumulate over time.

We recommend looking at the contaminants present in Hagerstown's water quality reports, or getting your home's tap water tested to see if you should be filtering your water.

Hagerstown Tap Water Safe Drinking Water Act Violation History - Prior 10 Years

Below is a ten year history of violations for the water system named City of Hagerstown for Hagerstown in Maryland. For more details please see the "What do these Violations Mean?" section below.

From July 1, 2015 to Sept. 30, 2015, Hagerstown had 1 health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, more specifically, the violation code was Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average which falls into the Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule rule code group, and the Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule rule code family for the following contaminant code: TTHM.

Is there Lead in Hagerstown Water?

Based on the EPA’s ECHO Database, 90% of the samples taken from the Hagerstown water system, City of Hagerstown, between sample start date and sample end date, were at or below, 0.00063 mg/L of lead in Hagerstown water. This is 4.2% of the 0.015 mg/L action level. This means 10% of the samples taken from Hagerstown contained more lead.

While Hagerstown water testing may have found 0.00063 mg/L of lead in its water, that does not mean your water source has the same amount. The amount of lead in water in a city can vary greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood, or even building to building. Many buildings, particularly older ones, have lead pipes or service lines which can be a source of contamination. To find out if your home has lead, we recommend getting you water tested.

No amount of lead in water is healthy, only less dangerous. As lead accumulates in our bodies over time, even exposure to relatively small amounts can have negative health effects. For more information, please check out our Lead FAQ page.

Are there PFAS in Hagerstown Tap Water?

Currently, testing tap water for PFAS isn’t mandated on a national level. We do have a list of military bases where there have been suspected or confirmed leaks. There appears to be at least one military base - Easten West Virginia Regional Airport - near Hagerstown with suspected leaks.

With many potential sources of PFAS in tap water across the US, the best information we currently have about which cities have PFAS in their water is this ewg map, which you can check to see if Hagerstown has been evaluated for yet.

Our stance is better safe than sorry, and that it makes sense to try to purify the tap water just in case.

Hagerstown SDWA Violation History Table - Prior 10 Years

Compliance Period Status Health-Based? Category Code Code Rule Code Contaminant Code Rule Group Code Rule Family Code
07/01/2015 - 09/30/2015 Resolved Yes Maximum Contaminant Level Violation (MCL) Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average (02) Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (220) TTHM (2950) Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (200) Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (220)

What do these Violations Mean?

Safe Drinking Water Act Violations categories split into two groups, health based, and non-health based. Generally, health based violations are more serious, though non-health based violations can also be cause for concern.

Health Based Violations

  1. Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) - maximum allowed contaminant level was exceeded.
  2. Maximum residual disinfectant levels (MRDLs) - maximum allowed disinfectant level was exceeded.
  3. Other violations (Other) - the exact required process to reduce the amounts of contaminants in drinking water was not followed.

Non-Health Based Violations

  1. Monitoring and reporting violations (MR, MON) - failure to conduct the required regular monitoring of drinking water quality, and/or to submit monitoring results on time.
  2. Public notice violations (Other) - failure to immediately alert consumers if there is a serious problem with their drinking water that may pose a risk to public health.
  3. Other violations (Other) - miscellaneous violations, such as failure to issue annual consumer confidence reports or maintain required records.

SDWA Table Key

Field Description
Compliance Period Dates of the compliance period.
Status Current status of the violation.
  • Resolved - The violation has at least one resolving enforcement action. In SDWIS, this indicates that either the system has returned to compliance from the violation, the rule that was violated was no longer applicable, or no further action was needed.
  • Archived - The violation is not Resolved, but is more than five years past its compliance period end date. In keeping with the Enforcement Response Policy, the violation no longer contributes to the public water system's overall compliance status. Unresolved violations are also marked as Archived when a system ceases operations (becomes inactive).
  • Addressed - The violation is not Resolved or Archived, and is addressed by one or more formal enforcement actions.
  • Unaddressed - The violation is not Resolved or Archived, and has not been addressed by formal enforcement.
show details
Health-Based? Whether the violation is health based.
Category Code
The category of violation that is reported.
  • TT - Treatment Technique Violation
  • MRDL - Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level
  • Other - Other Violation
  • MCL - Maximum Contaminant Level Violation
  • MR - Monitoring and Reporting
  • MON - Monitoring Violation
  • RPT - Reporting Violation
show details
Code A full description of violation codes can be accessed in the SDWA_REF_CODE_VALUES (CSV) table.
Contaminant Code A code value that represents a contaminant for which a public water system has incurred a violation of a primary drinking water regulation.
Rule Code Code for a National Drinking Water rule.
  • 110 - Total Coliform Rule
  • 121 - Surface Water Treatment Rule
  • 122 - Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
  • 123 - Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
  • 130 - Filter Backwash Rule
  • 140 - Ground Water Rule
  • 210 - Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 220 - Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 230 - Total Trihalomethanes
  • 310 - Volatile Organic Chemicals
  • 331 - Nitrates
  • 332 - Arsenic
  • 333 - Inorganic Chemicals
  • 320 - Synthetic Organic Chemicals
  • 340 - Radionuclides
  • 350 - Lead and Copper Rule
  • 410 - Public Notice Rule
  • 420 - Consumer Confidence Rule
  • 430 - Miscellaneous
  • 500 - Not Regulated
  • 111 - Revised Total Coliform Rule
show details
Rule Group Code Code that uniquely identifies a rule group.
  • 120 - Surface Water Treatment Rules
  • 130 - Filter Backwash Rule
  • 140 - Groundwater Rule
  • 210 - Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 220 - Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 230 - Total Trihalomethanes
  • 310 - Volatile Organic Chemicals
  • 320 - Synthetic Organic Chemicals
  • 330 - Inorganic Chemicals
  • 340 - Radionuclides
  • 350 - Lead and Copper Rule
  • 400 - Other
  • 500 - Not Regulated
  • 110 - Total Coliform Rules
  • 410 - Public Notice Rule
  • 420 - Consumer Confidence Rule
  • 430 - Miscellaneous
show details
Rule Family Code Code for rule family.
  • 100 - Microbials
  • 200 - Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 300 - Chemicals
  • 400 - Other
  • 500 - Not Regulated
show details

For more clarification please visit the EPA's data dictionary.

Hagerstown Water - Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF CITY WATER?
Hagerstown City water is surface water that comes from one of two City-owned treatment plants. As water travels over the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring elements and compounds. It can also pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals, or from human activity. The main plant is the R.C. Willson Water Treatment Plant which uses the Potomac River as the water source. The second plant is the W.M. Breichner Water Treatment Plant which uses the Edgemont Reservoir as its source. Currently, the Edgemont Reservoir and W.M. Breichner Plant are off-line while repairs and upgrades are made to the dam and treatment facility. The reservoir is fed by two streams, the Warner Hollow and the Raven Rock. The Willson Plant is located near Williamsport and the Breichner Plant is near Smithsburg. The source of your water can be found by your location in the drawing below. What Happens to the Water at the Both plants use the same basic processes to treat the water. The pH is lowered using sulfuric acid to aid and enhance coagulation. Aluminum coagulants are added causing small particles to adhere to each other, making them heavy enough to either settle out of the water in sedimentation basins or be removed in clarifiers. The settled or clarified water is then filtered through anthracite coal and sand to remove the remaining fine particles. Chlorine is added to deactivate harmful bacteria and viruses. Ammonia is added to the chlorinated water to form
WHAT IS FOUND IN THE WATER?
As mentioned previously, tests are periodically conducted for the regulated and unregulated contaminants. The table found in this report is a listing of those that were detected in Hagerstown water during the period from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2018. The remaining contaminants have not been detected. The regulatory agencies (the State of Maryland and the EPA) have waived the requirement to sample for contaminants that would not normally be found in our environment. Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of certain contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. There are a variety of contaminants that may be present in source water: microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife; pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agricultural, urban storm water runoff, and residential uses; inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring or result from urban storm water runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharge, oil and gas production, mining, or farming. If present, elevated levels of lead or copper can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead and copper in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. The Utilities Department Water Division is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been
IS YOUR WATER SAFE TO DRINK?
Hagerstown City Water meets all Federal (EPA) and State (MDE) regulatory requirements. If any of the Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) or reporting requirements were exceeded or violated during the period that this report covers, the health effects and reasons for the violations would be required to be stated in this report. The Hagerstown Utilities Department Water Division works hard to maintain the highest quality water possible and we will continue to strive for this goal. If you have questions about this report or any other topic related to your drinking water, please feel free to call us at 301-739-8577 x 680.
HOW DO I CONTACT HAGERSTOWN CUSTOMER SERVICE?
To contact customer service for the Hagerstown water provider, City of Hagerstown, please use the information below.
By Mail: R. C. Willson water treatment plan
10802 Water Works Rd
WILLIAMSPORT, MD, 21795
HOW TO PAY BILL FOR CITY OF HAGERSTOWN
Already have an account?

Existing customers can login to their City of Hagerstown account to pay their Hagerstown water bill by clicking here.

Want to create a new account?

If you want to pay your City of Hagerstown bill online and haven't made an account yet, you can create an account online. Please click here to create your account to pay your Hagerstown water bill.

Want to pay without an account?

If you don't want to make an account, or can't remember your account, you can make a one-time payment towards your Hagerstown water bill without creating an account using a one time payment portal with your account number and credit or debit card. Click here to make a one time payment.

HOW TO START & STOP HAGERSTOWN WATER SERVICE
Starting Your Service

Moving to a new house or apartment in Hagerstown means you will often need to put the water in your name with City of Hagerstown. In order to put the water in your name, please click the link to the start service form below. Start service requests for water bills typically take two business days.

Start Service Form

Want to create a new account?

Leaving your house or apartment in Hagerstown means you will likely need to take your name off of the water bill with City of Hagerstown. In order to take your name off the water bill, please click the link to the stop service form below. Stop service for water bills requests typically take two business days.

Stop Service Form

The estimated price of bottled water

$2 in USD (1.5-liter)

USER SUBMITTED RATINGS

Hagerstown tap water
  • Drinking Water Pollution and Inaccessibility 50% Moderate
  • Water Pollution 50% Moderate
  • Drinking Water Quality and Accessibility 50% Moderate
  • Water Quality 50% Moderate

The above data is comprised of subjective, user submitted opinions about the water quality and pollution in Hagerstown, measured on a scale from 0% (lowest) to 100% (highest).

Related FAQS

Hagerstown Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report)

The EPA mandates that towns and cities consistently monitor and test their tap water. They must report their findings in an annual Consumer Confidence Report. Below is the most recent water quality report from Hagerstown's Water. If you would like to see the original version of the report, please click here.

Terms and Units Defined:

Action Level (AL) is the concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow. LRAA is a locational running annual average. It represents the average concentration of disinfectant byproducts at one sample location from the current quarter and the previous three quarters.

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) is the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology.

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) represents a target level for contaminants below which there is no known or expected health risk. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety. These ‘Goals’ are not necessarily achievable.

Maximum Disinfectant Residual Level (MRDL) is the highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water.

Maximum Disinfectant Residual Level Goal (MDRLG) is the level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected health risk. n/a = Not applicable

n/d = Not detected

Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU) is a measure of the clarity of water.

Parts per million (ppm) - one part per million corresponds to one minute in two years, or one penny in $10,000.

Parts per billion (ppb) - one part per billion corresponds to one minute in 2,000 years, or one penny in $10,000,000.

Picocuries per liter (pCi/l) is a measure of radioactivity.

Treatment Technique is a required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water. Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of the water and is used as an indicator that the filtration system is functioning properly.

CITY OF HAGERSTOWN, MD

UTILITIES DEPARTMENT

WATER DIVISION 301-739-8577 extension 680

2018 CONSUMER CONFIDENCE

REPORT

PWSID# MD0210010

In compliance with the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Hagerstown Utilities Department Water Division is distributing to all of its customers this Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) which lists the results of sampling for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulated and unregulated contaminants detected in the City’s potable water supply in 2018. Tested contaminants include metals, organic and inorganic compounds, pesticides and volatile organic contaminants. The comparison of these values to the EPA’s Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for each contaminant is also listed.

If you desire further information about this report or about your water utility in general, please call the Utilities Department Water Division at (301) 739-8577 x 680. If you wish to participate in decisions that may affect water quality, you are welcome to attend any of the meetings of the Mayor and Council held in the Council Chambers of City Hall. The meetings are open to the public and are generally held on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Tuesdays of every month at 4:00 pm and on the 4th Tuesday at 7:00 pm. Please check your newspaper for exact times.

What Is the Source of City Water?

Hagerstown City water is surface water that comes from one of two City-owned treatment plants. As water travels over the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring elements and compounds. It can also pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals, or from human activity. The main plant is the R.C. Willson Water Treatment Plant which uses the Potomac River as the water source. The second plant is the W.M. Breichner Water Treatment Plant which uses the Edgemont Reservoir as its source. Currently, the Edgemont Reservoir and W.M. Breichner Plant are off-line while repairs and upgrades are made to the dam and treatment facility. The reservoir is fed by two streams, the Warner Hollow and the Raven Rock. The Willson Plant is located near Williamsport and the Breichner Plant is near Smithsburg. The source of your water can be found by your location in the drawing below.

 

 

Airport

 

 

MD 63

 

Broadfording

I-81

 

 

 

 

Longmeadow

I-70

US 40

Smithsburg

 

 

 

Hagerstown

MD 64

 

W M Breichner

R C WillsonWilliamsport

Robinwood

Water Plant

Water Plant

 

 

I-81

MD 65

I-70

 

US 40

 

 

 

 

State Prison

 

Willson Only

 

Breichner, Willson or blend

What Happens to the Water at the

Treatment Plants?

Both plants use the same basic processes to treat the water. The pH is lowered using sulfuric acid to aid and enhance coagulation. Aluminum coagulants are added causing small particles to adhere to each other, making them heavy enough to either settle out of the water in sedimentation basins or be removed in clarifiers. The settled or clarified water is then filtered through anthracite coal and sand to remove the remaining fine particles. Chlorine is added to deactivate harmful bacteria and viruses. Ammonia is added to the chlorinated water to form

monochloramine, which is the disinfectant found in the distribution system. Caustic soda and an orthophosphate-based corrosion inhibitor are added to minimize the dissolution of lead and copper from household plumbing. Fluoride is added to help prevent dental problems with children's teeth. Potassium permanganate and powdered activated carbon can be added if necessary to reduce taste and odor sometimes present in the raw water. Treated water is then pumped through the distribution system and to your home.

What Is Found in the Water?

As mentioned previously, tests are periodically conducted for the regulated and unregulated contaminants. The table found in this report is a listing of those that were detected in Hagerstown water during the period from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2018. The remaining contaminants have not been detected. The regulatory agencies (the State of Maryland and the EPA) have waived the requirement to sample for contaminants that would not normally be found in our environment. Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of certain contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk.

There are a variety of contaminants that may be present in source water: microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife; pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agricultural, urban storm water runoff, and residential uses; inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring or result from urban storm water runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharge, oil and gas production, mining, or farming.

If present, elevated levels of lead or copper can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead and copper in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. The Utilities Department Water Division is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been

sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead and copper exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for cooking. If you are concerned about lead and copper in your drinking water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead and copper in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the USEPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1- 800-426-4791 or on the internet at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

Certain people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons such as those undergoing chemotherapy, those who have undergone organ transplants, those with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, or infants can be particularly at risk of infection. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care provider. The Environmental Protection Agency/Center for Disease Control guidelines for the appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.

Some maximum contaminant level (MCL) regulations are based on a yearly average of sample results. Occasionally, an individual result may exceed the MCL but the yearly average does not. This is the case with haloacetic acids and trihalomethanes. Not all sample results for HAA5s and TTHMs have been used for calculating the Highest Level Detected because some results are part of an ongoing evaluation to determine where compliance sampling should occur in the future.

Some people who drink water containing haloacetic acids or trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous system, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

WATER QUALITY DATA TABLE

 

 

 

Level

Level

 

 

 

 

 

 

Found @

Found @

Range of

 

 

Contaminant (units)

MCLG

MCL

Willson

Breichner

Detection

Violation

Typical Sources of Contaminants

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chloramines

MRDLG

MRDL

2.8

OFFLINE

2.6-2.8

no

Water additive to control microbes.

(measured as Chlorine)

4

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barium (ppm)

2

2

0.036

OFFLINE

0.036-0.036

no

Discharge of drilling wastes, metal refineries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and erosion of natural deposits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fluoride (ppm)

4

4

0.6

OFFLINE

0.6-0.6

no

Additive promoting strong teeth, natural

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

deposits erosion, fertilizer and aluminum

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

factory discharges

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gross Alpha emitters (pCi/l)

0

15

<2

OFFLINE

-

no

Erosion of natural deposits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Radium 228 (pCi/l)

0

5

<0.9

OFFLINE

-

no

Decay of natural and man-made deposits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copper (ppm)

1.3

AL=1.3

0.0603

OFFLINE

<0.010-0.149

no

Corrosion of household plumbing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lead (ppb)

0

AL=15

<1.00

OFFLINE

<1.00-1.37

no

Corrosion of household plumbing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nitrate (ppm)

10

10

1.2

OFFLINE

1.2-1.2

no

Runoff from fertilizer; Leaching of septic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chromium (ppb)

100

100

0.93

OFFLINE

0.93-0.93

no

Discharge from steel and pulp mills; erosion

of natural deposits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Coliform Bacteria

0

5%

0%

OFFLINE

0%

no

Naturally present in the environment

(% of monthly samples)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Haloacetic Acids (ppb)

0

60

24

OFFLINE

1.2-52.1

no

By-products of drinking water disinfection

Highest LRAA

 

 

 

 

 

 

process

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trihalomethanes (ppb)

0

80

35

OFFLINE

11.6-49.3

no

By-products of drinking water disinfection

Highest LRAA

 

 

 

 

 

 

process

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turbidity samples below .3

n/a

95%

100%

OFFLINE

100%

no

Soil runoff

NTU (lowest monthly %)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maximum Turbidity (NTU)

n/a

1

0.027

OFFLINE

0.02-0.032

no

Soil runoff

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unregulated Contaminants

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perchlorate (ppb)

n/a

n/a

0.62

OFFLINE

n/d-0.62

no

Road flare, explosive, rocket fuel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

manufacturing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sodium (ppm)

n/a

n/a

14.4

OFFLINE

-

no

n/a

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source Water Assessment

A Source Water Assessment (SWA) was performed for the Potomac and Edgemont water supplies. The SWA was done to identify potential sources of contamination that include non-point sources, including transportation, agriculture, on-site septic systems, wildlife, and runoff from developed land and timber harvest operations. Recommendations of the SWA include the development of a watershed protection group representing stakeholders, aggressive barrier management plans to control agriculture and animal farming runoff, phosphorus control, and a proactive spill management program. We have completed 24- months of monitoring for the Potomac River Source for Cryptosporidium in compliance with the 2nd round of the Long-Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule. The results of this monitoring confirm that the Potomac River source has a low occurrence of Cryptosporidium. The average result of Cryptosporidium from January 2016 to December 2017 was 0.046 Oocysts/Liter. These results indicate that the Potomac River source is at low risk of contamination by Cryptosporidium and requires no additional treatment techniques.

Is Your Water Safe to Drink?

Hagerstown City Water meets all Federal (EPA) and State (MDE) regulatory requirements. If any of the Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) or reporting requirements were exceeded or violated during the period that this report covers, the health effects and reasons for the violations would be required to be stated in this report.

The Hagerstown Utilities Department Water Division works hard to maintain the highest quality water possible and we will continue to strive for this goal. If you have questions about this report or any other topic related to your drinking water, please feel free to call us at 301-739-8577 x 680.

Contaminants


City of Hagerstown

EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Maryland Department of the Environment, as well as information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (January 2019 - March 2019), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.

Utility details

  • Serves: 88000
  • Data available: 2012-2017
  • Data Source: Surface water
  • Total: 14

Contaminants That Exceed Guidelines

  • Bromodichloromethane
  • Chloroform
  • Chromium (hexavalent)
  • Dibromochloromethane
  • Nitrate
  • Nitrate and nitrite
  • Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)

Other Detected Contaminants

  • Barium
  • Bromoform
  • Chlorate
  • Fluoride
  • Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
  • Strontium
  • Vanadium

Reminder

Always take extra precautions, the water may be safe to drink when it leaves the sewage treatment plant but it may pick up pollutants during its way to your tap. We advise that you ask locals or hotel staff about the water quality. Also, note that different cities have different water mineral contents.

Sources and Resources

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Hagerstown, Maryland is one of the oldest cities in the United States and is located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. This city was founded by Sir William Penn. The original Hagerstown Settlement was on what is now the site of what is known as Hagerstown Creek. This creek became known as Old Mine Road because many miners came to the area and began building their homes there.

Hagerstown was first referred to as Hagerstown, which means "The Old Fort". In the years that followed, this word became "Haegers" which means "old building". Today the name continues to be used for a location that was once used as a fort.

There are numerous homes and businesses in Hagerstown that were built by settlers had a variety of different backgrounds and incomes. Many of the homes were built using homes and other structures that were already in existence and had been in the area for many years. Many of the homes and businesses were owned by those who were not even born wh

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