Wilmington, DE Water Quality Report

Is Wilmington tap water safe? See PFAS and lead contamination levels for Wilmington, Delaware. Compare to EPA limits and get filter recommendations.

Quick Answers

Is Wilmington tap water safe to drink? Wilmington water has high PFAS contamination. EPA UCMR5 testing detected a peak level of 1,800 ppt, significantly above the EPA's 4 ppt enforceable limit. A reverse osmosis or certified PFAS filter is strongly recommended.

What contaminants are in Wilmington water? Top PFAS compounds detected in Wilmington water: PFOS (1,800 ppt), PFHxS (680 ppt), PFOA (140 ppt). See the full table for all monitored contaminants and comparison to EPA limits.

What filter should I use in Wilmington? Reverse osmosis removes 90%+ of PFAS, lead, and arsenic. NSF-53 certified pitcher and faucet filters (ZeroWater, Clearly Filtered, LifeStraw) work for smaller households. Skip standard Brita filters for PFAS removal.

Wilmington Water Quality Summary

EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in Wilmington drinking water. Recent monitoring found a peak level of 1,800 ppt across 3 water systems, representing an average of 16.6 ppt across 11 detected compounds.

Contamination Level: HIGH – High contamination – multiple PFAS compounds detected at levels significantly above EPA safety thresholds.

Top Detected Compounds

  • PFOS: 1,800 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
  • PFHxS: 680 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
  • PFOA: 140 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
  • PFHpA: 80 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
  • PFNA: 53.8 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)

Lead in Wilmington Water

EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing has recorded 10 lead samples for Wilmington water systems, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.0056 mg/L (within the EPA 0.015 mg/L action level). There is no safe level of lead for children; if your home was built before 1986, a certified NSF/ANSI 53 lead-removal filter is recommended.

EPA Violations in Wilmington

Wilmington public water systems have 5 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record, including 1925, Dichloroacetic Acid, Selenium. Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded its federal limit or required treatment was not applied.

About the Data

These figures come from the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5 (UCMR5) testing program, 2023-2025. UCMR5 is the most comprehensive national drinking water survey in US history, covering 66,000+ public water systems. Population of Wilmington: approximately 72,664.

ZIP Codes Served

19801, 19802, 19803, 19804, 19805

What Wilmington Residents Should Do

  1. Enter your exact ZIP code at knowyourexposure.com for address-level data
  2. Install an NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis filter (removes 94-99% of PFAS)
  3. If you're in a high-exposure group (pregnant, young children), consider a PFAS home test kit
  4. Review your utility's Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) annually