National Drinking Water Database
Connecticut
607 systems serving 2,696,783 people
This drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by water utilities in Connecticut, provided to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) by the Connecticut Department of Public Health. It is part of EWG's national database that includes 47,667 drinking water utilities and 20 million test results from 45 states and the District of Columbia. Water utilities nationwide detected more than 300 pollutants between 2004 and 2009. More than half of these chemicals are unregulated, legal in any amount. Despite this widespread contamination, the federal government invests few resources in protecting rivers, reservoirs, and groundwater from pollution in the first place. The information below summarizes drinking water quality for this state.
Chemicals |
Water Utilities |
Population Served |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Detected Chemicals | 67 |
607 |
2,695,754 |
Exceed health guidelines* | 39 |
586 |
2,680,384 |
Exceed Legal Limits* | 16 |
78 |
159,362 |
Unregulated chemicals detected | 1 |
1 |
389,300 |
| * Water utilities are noted as exceeding the legal limit if any test is above the maximum contaminant level (MCL). Most MCLs are based on annual averages so exceeding the MCL for one test does not necessarily indicate that the system is out of compliance. | |||
39 Contaminants Exceeding Health Based Limits
Contaminants detected in Connecticut drinking water above health guidelines, according to an Environmental Working Group analysis of data obtained from state water authorities
| Contaminant | Population |
Number of Systems |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| At Any Level | Above Health Limits | At Any Level | Above Health Limits | |
| Lead (total) | 2,650,234 | 2,650,234 | 462 | 462 |
| Combined Radium (-226 & -228) | 1,175,233 | 1,175,233 | 330 | 330 |
| Combined Uranium (mg/L) | 972,301 | 972,301 | 415 | 415 |
| Alpha particle activity (excl radon and uranium) | 705,543 | 705,543 | 300 | 300 |
| Radium-228 | 670,115 | 670,115 | 268 | 268 |
| Arsenic (total) | 650,241 | 650,241 | 26 | 26 |
| Copper | 2,692,691 | 527,938 | 578 | 165 |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) | 431,300 | 431,300 | 2 | 2 |
| Total haloacetic acids (HAAs) | 431,300 | 431,300 | 2 | 2 |
| Radium-226 | 309,877 | 309,877 | 185 | 185 |
Water Utilities in Connecticut Reporting Chemicals Exceeding Health Guidelines
Water utilities in Connecticut reporting chemicals exceeding health guidelines, according to an Environmental Working Group analysis of data obtained from state water authorities, include:
| System | Population |
Chemicals tested |
Chemicals found |
Chemicals exceeding health guidelines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scwa Tower-Ferry View Division (Twr-Fvh) | 2,567 | 68 | 16 | 11 |
| Meriden Water Division | 58,441 | 68 | 19 | 10 |
| East Hampton Wpca - Village Center | 366 | 68 | 14 | 10 |
| Hill Hollow Association | 48 | 72 | 18 | 10 |
| Denlar Apartments - Buildings 17 & 19 | 36 | 43 | 16 | 10 |
| Valley Water Systems, Inc. | 17,078 | 71 | 17 | 9 |
| Ledyard Wpca, Sablewoods System | 220 | 68 | 12 | 9 |
| CTWC - Unionville Water Company | 13,068 | 72 | 18 | 9 |
| United Water Ct, Inc. - Woodbury System | 1,642 | 72 | 15 | 8 |
| Rsk Realty 1 | 36 | 71 | 12 | 8 |
| South Norwalk Electric and Water | 42,000 | 57 | 12 | 8 |
| Scwa, Gray Farms Division (Grf) | 460 | 69 | 14 | 8 |
| East Lyme Water & Sewer Commission | 15,245 | 82 | 12 | 8 |
| Durham Lexington Place Division | 45 | 70 | 15 | 8 |
| Colchester Sewer & Water Commission | 4,001 | 68 | 12 | 8 |
| High Meadow Condominiums | 237 | 69 | 13 | 8 |
| Sandy Lane Village Condominium Assn | 318 | 72 | 12 | 8 |
| Whisconier Village Association | 123 | 69 | 11 | 8 |
| Rural Water Co, Inc-Brookfield Div. | 1,032 | 69 | 11 | 8 |
| Hyde School - System #2 (Residential) | 310 | 69 | 10 | 7 |
Sources of Connecticut Drinking Water Contaminants
The contaminants identified in Connecticut drinking water come from a wide variety of sources, including agriculture, industry, water treatment plants, and polluted storm runoff from urban areas.
Testing Summary for Connecticut
The federal government has set standards for some of the pollutants found in tap water supplies.
| Contaminants reported as tested by water suppliers in Connecticut | 90 | |
| Contaminants tested due to federal law: | 88 | |
| Contaminants tested in addition to those required by federal law: | 2 | |
Violation Summary for Connecticut
Data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency includes the following violations of federal standards in Connecticut since 2004
| Violation Type | Number of Violations |
|---|---|
| Failure to monitor regularly | 5,764 |
| Failure to report information to the public or state agency in the Consumer Confidence Report | 595 |
| Inadequate reporting of information to the public | 566 |
| Failure to monitor, Routine Major (Coliform bacteria) | 370 |
| Monitoring and Reporting Disinfection Byproduct Rule | 363 |
| Over maximum contaminant level, Average | 337 |
| Maximum contaminant level, Monthly (Coliform bacteria) | 310 |
| Public Notification Violation for National Primary Drinking Water Regulations | 228 |
| Failure to monitor, Routine Minor (Coliform bacteria) | 50 |
| Failure to monitor or report, Routine/Repeat (Indicators of microbial or virus contamination) | 41 |
| Other Non-National Primary Drinking Water Regulations Potential Health Risks | 41 |
| Maximum contaminant level, Acute (Coliform bacteria) | 34 |
| Follow-up and Routine Tap Sampling | 34 |
| Failure to monitor, Repeat Major (Coliform bacteria) | 28 |
| Initial Water Quality Parameter Monitoring and Reporting | 20 |
| Public Education | 18 |
| Optimal Corrosion Control Treatment Study Recommendation | 12 |
| Initial, Follow-up, or Routine Source Water Treatment Monitoring and Reporting | 5 |
| Initial Tap Sampling for Lead and Copper | 5 |
| Over maximum contaminant level, Single Sample | 4 |
| Treatment Technique Precursor Removal | 3 |
| Failure to monitor, Repeat Minor (Coliform bacteria) | 3 |
| Filter Turbidity Reporting | 3 |
| Excess Turbidity at 0.3 NTU | 1 |