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Not health advice. Contact your local water utility for concerns.
Data from EPA Water Quality Reports. For official information, contact your water utility or health department.
EPA records for WATERBURY WATER DEPARTMENT • Updated September 2026
Grade A — based on EPA compliance records, lead testing and PFAS monitoring
WATERBURY WATER DEPARTMENT has a clean recent record: no health-based violations in the last five years and no lead, PFAS or historical monitoring result that costs it more than a few points.
Yes — by EPA's records, Waterbury's tap water earns a A: no health-based violations in five years, lead at 4 ppb (90th percentile) and no PFAS detected. Lead from home plumbing is the main remaining risk.
By EPA's records, yes. WATERBURY WATER DEPARTMENT earns a A: no health-based violations in the last five years, a lead 90th-percentile result of 4 ppb, and no PFAS detected in UCMR5 sampling. Lead from your own plumbing is the main risk city data cannot see.
WATERBURY WATER DEPARTMENT's most recent Lead and Copper Rule result (2023-01-01 to 2025-12-31) was 4 ppb at the 90th percentile, below EPA's 15 ppb action level. Because lead usually comes from service lines and household plumbing, homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
No. None of the 116 UCMR5 PFAS results for WATERBURY WATER DEPARTMENT (2023-10-06 to 2024-06-04) were at or above the reporting limit of roughly 3–5 ppt.
WATERBURY WATER DEPARTMENT has 8 violations on file since 2016: 0 health-based in the last five years and 2 monitoring or reporting violations in that window. Monitoring violations are paperwork lapses, not measured contamination.
WATERBURY WATER DEPARTMENT reports surface water as its primary source and serves about 107,271 people (EPA PWSID CT1510011).
Not on the strength of EPA's data for WATERBURY WATER DEPARTMENT. A filter still helps with taste and with lead from your own plumbing, which no city-level test can measure.
Want to know what's really in your Waterbury tap water?
EPA data describes water leaving the plant — a certified mail-in lab test shows what reaches your own faucet, including lead from household plumbing.
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WATERBURY WATER DEPARTMENT · SDWIS records since 2016 · 5-year window starts 2021-09-07
EPA records no health-based violations for this system in the last five years. The 2 violations on file in that window are monitoring or reporting paperwork issues, not measured contaminant exceedances.
| Violation | Category | Compliance period | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead Consumer NoticeLead and Copper Rule | Monitoring & reporting | 2025-12-30 | Resolvedreturned 2026-01-06 |
| Consumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to ReportConsumer Confidence Rule | Other | 2024-07-01 | Resolvedreturned 2024-07-15 |
| Lead Consumer NoticeLead and Copper Rule | Monitoring & reporting | 2022-12-30 | Resolvedreturned 2023-02-09 |
| Consumer Confidence Report Inadequate ReportingConsumer Confidence Rule | Other | 2022-08-10 | Resolvedreturned 2022-10-25 |
| Consumer Confidence Report Inadequate ReportingConsumer Confidence Rule | Other | 2021-08-10 | Resolvedreturned 2021-06-30 |
| Consumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to ReportConsumer Confidence Rule | Other | 2021-07-01 | Resolvedreturned 2021-06-30 |
| Monitoring, Source Water (LT2)E. COLI | Monitoring & reporting | 2017-02-01 → 2017-02-28 | Resolvedreturned 2017-02-28 |
| Lead Consumer NoticeLead and Copper Rule | Monitoring & reporting | 2016-12-30 | Resolvedreturned 2017-03-24 |
Source: ECHO SDWA bulk download (SDWA_VIOLATIONS_ENFORCEMENT.csv, SDWIS 2026Q2, file dated 2026-07-09, fetched 2026-09-06)
EPA Lead and Copper Rule 90th-percentile results reported by WATERBURY WATER DEPARTMENT
Well below the 15 ppb action level. In the most recent monitoring period on file (2023-01-01 to 2025-12-31), 90% of the homes WATERBURY WATER DEPARTMENT sampled had lead at or below 4 ppb.
EPA's action level is 15 ppb (dropping to 10 ppb under the 2024 Lead and Copper Rule Improvements). There is no safe level of lead; the 90th-percentile figure describes the system, not your tap — homes with lead service lines or pre-1986 plumbing can be higher.
| Monitoring period | Lead 90th percentile | vs 15 ppb action level |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-01-01 → 2025-12-31 | 4 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2025-01-01 → 2025-12-31 | 0 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2025-01-01 → 2025-12-31 | 0.05 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2025-01-01 → 2025-12-31 | 0.01 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2024-01-01 → 2024-12-31 | 0 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2023-01-01 → 2023-12-31 | 1 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2022-01-01 → 2022-12-31 | 1 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2020-01-01 → 2022-12-31 | 2 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2021-01-01 → 2021-12-31 | 34 ppb | Above the 15 ppb action level |
| 2021-01-01 → 2021-12-31 | 7 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 2021-01-01 → 2021-12-31 | 6 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 2020-01-01 → 2020-12-31 | 10 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
Source: ECHO SDWA bulk download (SDWA_LCR_SAMPLES.csv, SDWIS 2026Q2, file dated 2026-07-09, fetched 2026-09-06)
EPA UCMR5 monitoring, 2023-10-06 to 2024-06-04 · 116 PFAS results at entry points to the distribution system
No PFAS detected. None of the 116 UCMR5 PFAS results for WATERBURY WATER DEPARTMENT were at or above the method reporting limit. Reporting limits are about 3–5 ppt, so “not detected” means below that threshold — not proven zero.
| Compound | Detects / samples | Max (ppt) | Reporting limit | EPA MCL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFOA | 0 / 4 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFOS | 0 / 4 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS | 0 / 4 | < 3 | 3 ppt | 10 ppt |
| PFNA | 0 / 4 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA | 0 / 4 | < 5 | 5 ppt | 10 ppt |
| PFBS | 0 / 4 | < 3 | 3 ppt | hazard index only |
“< 4 ppt” means below the laboratory reporting limit, not zero. ppt = parts per trillion (ng/L). Results are for finished water leaving the treatment plant.
What PFAS are and how to remove them →
Source: UCMR5 occurrence data, EPA Data Summary July 2026 (UCMR5_All.txt)
EPA Six-Year Review 4 compliance samples for WATERBURY WATER DEPARTMENT · finished water only · dated data, released 2024
These are the regulated-contaminant samples WATERBURY WATER DEPARTMENT reported to its state between 2012 and 2019 — the most recent nationwide sample-level dataset EPA has published. Total trihalomethanes (TTHM), Haloacetic acids (HAA5) are flagged below; the status column explains why. Treat this as history, not today's tap water.
| Contaminant | Samples | Average | Max | EPA limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic | 81 detects | 0.125 µg/L | 1 µg/L | 10 µg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Nitrate (as N) | 8 | 0.049 mg/L | 0.092 mg/L | 10 mg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Fluoride | 8 | 0.819 mg/L | 0.92 mg/L | 4 mg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Chromium (total) | 81 detects | 0.125 µg/L | 1 µg/L | 100 µg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Uranium (combined) | 31 detects | 0.497 µg/L | 1.49 µg/L | 30 µg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Radium-226/228 | 21 detects | 1.135 pCi/L | 2.27 pCi/L | 5 pCi/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Gross alpha | 32 detects | 2 pCi/L | 3 pCi/L | 15 pCi/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) | 255 | 49.261 µg/L | 118.2 µg/L | 80 µg/LMCL (LRAA) | 18 single samples over MCL; average within limit |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) | 252 | 39.931 µg/L | 69.8 µg/L | 60 µg/LMCL (LRAA) | 6 single samples over MCL; average within limit |
| Lead (tap samples) | 16085 detects | 1.85 µg/L | 33 µg/L | 15 µg/Laction level (90th percentile) | Reported, not scored (compliance is on the 90th percentile) |
| Copper (tap samples) | 160 | 109.938 µg/L | 1280 µg/L | 1300 µg/Laction level (90th percentile) | Reported, not scored (compliance is on the 90th percentile) |
Averages count non-detects as zero. TTHM and HAA5 limits are locational running annual averages, so a single high sample is not a violation — we grade those on the average only. Lead and copper rows are individual tap samples and are shown for context; compliance (and our score) uses the 90th-percentile result above. LRAA = locational running annual average; ND = not detected.
Source: SYR4 Six-Year Review compliance monitoring data 2012–2019 (released 2024-03)
WATERBURY WATER DEPARTMENT · 27,905 service lines inventoried · Q2 2026 snapshot
WATERBURY WATER DEPARTMENT reports 1,080 service lines that are lead or galvanized-requiring-replacement (3.9% of the lines it has inventoried). A lead service line is the pipe between the water main and a building, so treated water can pick up lead after it leaves the plant — which city-level testing does not capture. Under EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, utilities must replace lead lines within 10 years starting in 2027.
Source: EPA SDWIS Service Line Inventory (Q2 2026) · PWS ID CT1510011 · See all Connecticut lead service lines. We may earn a commission from filters and test kits, at no extra cost to you.
Surface-water systems draw from rivers, lakes or reservoirs and must filter and disinfect, which is why disinfection byproducts (TTHM, HAA5) are the readings to watch.
How to test your tap water and the treatment options that actually fit Waterbury homes
The most reliable way to know what is actually coming out of your tap is a certified mail-in lab test. City-wide EPA data (like the report above) reflects the water leaving the treatment plant, but contaminants such as lead and copper can be picked up from your own service line and household plumbing — so the water at your Waterbury faucet can differ from the system average. A state-certified lab measures dozens of contaminants at once with results you can trust; you can also find one near you through the EPA's certified-lab list at epa.gov/dwlabcert. Hardware-store test strips are cheaper and instant, but they only screen for a few basics (chlorine, hardness, pH, and a rough lead pass/fail) and are far less accurate — treat them as a first look, not a diagnosis.
Match the treatment to what your test finds. Reverse osmosis (RO) removes the widest range of contaminants — lead, arsenic, nitrate, PFAS, and dissolved solids — which makes an under-sink reverse osmosis system the most thorough choice for Waterbury households with heavy-metal or PFAS concerns. If your main issue is taste, odor, or chlorine, an activated carbon filter (pitcher, faucet, or under-sink) is simpler and cheaper and handles chlorine and many organic compounds well, though carbon alone does not remove arsenic, nitrate, or most PFAS. NSF-certified pitchers rated for lead reduction are the easiest way to start today while you decide on a permanent setup.
We may earn a commission from testing kits and filters purchased through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Waterbury ranks #8 of 18 graded Connecticut cities.
By EPA's records, yes. WATERBURY WATER DEPARTMENT earns a A: no health-based violations in the last five years, a lead 90th-percentile result of 4 ppb, and no PFAS detected in UCMR5 sampling. Lead from your own plumbing is the main risk city data cannot see.
WATERBURY WATER DEPARTMENT's most recent Lead and Copper Rule result (2023-01-01 to 2025-12-31) was 4 ppb at the 90th percentile, below EPA's 15 ppb action level. Because lead usually comes from service lines and household plumbing, homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
No. None of the 116 UCMR5 PFAS results for WATERBURY WATER DEPARTMENT (2023-10-06 to 2024-06-04) were at or above the reporting limit of roughly 3–5 ppt.
WATERBURY WATER DEPARTMENT has 8 violations on file since 2016: 0 health-based in the last five years and 2 monitoring or reporting violations in that window. Monitoring violations are paperwork lapses, not measured contamination.
WATERBURY WATER DEPARTMENT reports surface water as its primary source and serves about 107,271 people (EPA PWSID CT1510011).
Not on the strength of EPA's data for WATERBURY WATER DEPARTMENT. A filter still helps with taste and with lead from your own plumbing, which no city-level test can measure.
Even with good water quality, a filter removes trace contaminants and improves taste.
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