Tap Water Quality Report
Tap water quality in WILMINGTON, Delaware
Tap water in WILMINGTON, Delaware receives a grade of F (56/100) from TapWaterSafety.org. It's served by 2 public water systems, primarily WILMINGTON WATER DEPARTMENT. The most significant water quality concerns are: PFAS contamination; Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline; Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline; Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline. Data sources: EPA SDWIS, EPA ECHO, EWG Tap Water Database.
What's in WILMINGTON's tap water
Top water quality concerns identified by the EPA and Environmental Working Group across the utilities serving WILMINGTON.
PFAS contamination
Severe concernPerfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) detected. PFAS are persistent chemicals linked to cancer and immune effects with no known safe exposure threshold.
Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA9) detected at 43.0 ppb, 717x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernTotal trihalomethanes (TTHMs) detected at 38.1 ppb, 254x above the EWG health guideline of 0.15 ppb.
Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA5) detected at 24.4 ppb, 244x above the EWG health guideline of 0.1 ppb.
Water systems serving WILMINGTON
WILMINGTON is served by 2 public water systems. Click any utility to see its complete grade card and treatment plant contact info.
WILMINGTON WATER DEPARTMENT
- PFAS contamination
- Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline
- Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline
VEOLIA WATER DELAWARE, INC
- PFAS contamination
- Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline
- Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline
Recommended filters for WILMINGTON
Filters matched to the specific contaminants in WILMINGTON's water supply.
Reverse Osmosis or NSF P473 certified carbon
$80-$750Activated carbon and RO are the only technologies proven to remove PFAS at certified levels.
Carbon block (NSF/ANSI 42 + 53)
$40-$750Activated carbon is highly effective for disinfection byproducts like TTHM and HAA5.
Disclosure: TapWaterSafety earns a commission from purchases made through these links. This does not influence our scoring methodology or filter selection.
All contaminants detected in WILMINGTON's tap water
Every contaminant identified, compared side-by-side against US EPA legal limits, the EU Drinking Water Directive (2020/2184), WHO Guidelines, and California's Public Health Goal. Why we show multiple standards →
| Contaminant | Detected | EWG US health-based |
EPA US legal |
EU DWD Europe |
WHO global |
CA PHG strictest US |
Tested sample year |
Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) PFAS |
19.2 ppt | 0.09 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | EPA violation |
| Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) PFAS |
8.2 ppt | 0.006 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | 1367× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
43.0 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 717× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
47.9 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 319× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
31.6 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 316× over |
| Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) PFAS |
1.55 ppt | 0.006 | — | — | — | — | — | 258× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
12.8 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 213× over |
| Bromochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
3.63 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 182× over |
| Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA) PFAS |
0.9 ppt | 0.006 | — | — | — | — | — | 150× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
13.6 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 136× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
16.8 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 84× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
30.6 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 76× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
3.99 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 40× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.827 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 28× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
2.39 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 17× over |
| Nitrate and nitrite Inorganic |
2.38 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 17× over |
| Radium, combined (-226 and -228) Radiological |
0.83 pCi/L | 0.05 | 5.0 | — | — | — | — | 17× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.316 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 16× over |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
266.1 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | 1.3× over |
| Atrazine Pesticide/Herbicide |
0.0325 ppb | 0.1 | 3.0 | 0.1 | 100 | 0.15 | — | Below guideline |
| Simazine Pesticide/Herbicide |
0.03 ppb | 0.1 | 4.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
28.3 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Barium Heavy metal |
51.1 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| Molybdenum Other |
1.54 ppb | 40.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| 1,4-Dioxane Semi-volatile organic compound |
0.0125 ppb | 0.35 | — | — | 50 | 1 | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutanoic Acid (PFBA) PFAS |
29.5 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Selenium Heavy metal |
0.69 ppb | 30.0 | 50.0 | 20 | 40 | 30 | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) PFAS |
22.9 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA) PFAS |
22.8 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA) PFAS |
19.6 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| 2,4-D Pesticide/Herbicide |
0.23 ppb | 20.0 | 70.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.491 ppb | 53.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
0.06 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monobromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.0446 ppb | 25.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) PFAS |
2.59 ppt | 2000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.167 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.713 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Bromide Other |
8.15 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Nitrite Inorganic |
0.00282 ppm | — | 1.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
All values in the unit of the detected level. Red cells indicate the detected level exceeds that standard. Some contaminants have limits in some jurisdictions but not others (shown as —). The "Tested" column shows the year each contaminant sample was collected.
Sources: US EPA, EU Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184, WHO Guidelines, California OEHHA PHGs, EWG Tap Water Database.
Treatment plant contact info
For service issues, water quality concerns, or to request a Consumer Confidence Report from WILMINGTON WATER DEPARTMENT.