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UTILITY

Morgantown Water Company Inc.

location

Charles County, Maryland

serves

45

source

Groundwater

data

2018-2023

Overview

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 (April 2024 - June 2024), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.

LEARN ABOUT LEAD in this utility

Legal does not necessarily equal safe.

  • Getting a passing grade from the federal government does not mean the water meets the latest health guidelines.

  • Legal limits for contaminants in tap water have not been updated in almost 20 years.

  • The best way to ensure clean tap water is to keep pollution out of source water in the first place.

Contaminants Detected

OTHER DETECTED

There were no chemicals detected above health guidelines for this water system.

 

Barium

This Utility: 1.65 ppb

Legal Limit: 2,000 ppb

EWG's Health Guideline: 700 ppb

Barium

Barium is a mineral present in rocks, soil and water. High concentrations of barium in drinking water increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and hypertension.

more about this contaminant

How your levels compare

EWG Health Guideline

700 ppb or less

This Utility

1.65 ppb

Legal Limit

2,000 ppb

National Average

39.5 ppb

State Average

28.1 ppb

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 700 ppb for barium was defined by EWG as benchmark that protects against harm to the kidneys and the cardiovascular system.

Understanding the Data

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2021-2023.

ppb = parts per billion
VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

Industry

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

Reverse Osmosis

Ion Exchange

Chloroethane

This Utility: 0.700 ppb

No Legal Limit

No EWG Health Guideline

Chloroethane

Chloroethane is a volatile solvent used in manufacturing, and as a refrigerant and aerosol propellant.

more about this contaminant

How your levels compare

This Utility

0.7 ppb

National Average

0.00306 ppb

State Average

1.45 ppb

EWG Health Guideline

Not yet determined

Legal Limit

None

Understanding the Data

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2021-2023.

ppb = parts per billion
VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

Industry

Filtering Options

Activated Carbon

Reverse Osmosis

Fluoride

This Utility: 0.540 ppm

Legal Limit: 4 ppm

No EWG Health Guideline

Fluoride

Fluoride occurs naturally in surface and groundwater and is also added to drinking water by many water systems to prevent cavities and support oral health in people.

In 2015, the Department of Health and Human Services updated its recommendation of an optimal level of 0.7 parts per million, or ppm, added to drinking water based on the health benefits of tooth decay prevention. Studies have shown that fluoride added to community water systems at this level reduces dental cavities, especially in children.

And studies have conclusively shown that fluoride in toothpaste and mouthwash can also provide these benefits.

more about this contaminant

How your levels compare

This Utility

0.54 ppm

Legal Limit

4 ppm

National Average

0.49 ppm

State Average

0.601 ppm

EWG Health Guideline

Not yet determined

Understanding the Data

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2021-2023.

ppm = parts per million
VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

Industry

Treatment Byproducts

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

Reverse Osmosis

Includes chemicals detected in 2021-2023 for which annual utility averages were lower than an EWG-selected health guideline established by a federal or state public health authority.

Other Contaminants Tested

✕

Chemicals tested for but not detected:

1,1,1-Trichloroethane, 1,1,2-Trichloroethane, 1,1-Dichloroethylene, 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene, 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP), 1,2-Dichloroethane, 1,2-Dichloropropane, 2,4,5-T, 2,4,5-TP (Silvex), 2,4-D, 2,4-DB, 3-Hydroxycarbofuran, Alachlor (Lasso), Aldicarb, Aldicarb sulfone, Aldicarb sulfoxide, Aldrin, Antimony, Arsenic, Atrazine, Baygon (Propoxur), Benzene, Benzo[a]pyrene, Beryllium, Butachlor, Cadmium, Carbaryl, Carbofuran, Carbon tetrachloride, Chlordane, Chromium (total), cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene, Dalapon, Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate, Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, Dicamba, Dichloromethane (methylene chloride), Dieldrin, Dinoseb, Endrin, Ethylbenzene, Ethylene dibromide, Heptachlor, Heptachlor epoxide, Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), Hexachlorocyclopentadiene, Lindane, Manganese, Mercury (inorganic), Methiocarb, Methomyl, Methoxychlor, Metolachlor, Metribuzin, Monochlorobenzene (chlorobenzene), MTBE, Nitrate & nitrite, o-Dichlorobenzene, Oxamyl (Vydate), p-Dichlorobenzene, Pentachlorophenol, Picloram, Propachlor, Selenium, Simazine, Styrene, Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene), Thallium, Toluene, trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene, Trichloroethylene, Vinyl chloride, Xylenes (total)

Find A Filter

Utility: 

Morgantown Water Company Inc.
view utility

Carbon Filters

FILTERS 0 contaminants exceeding guidelines (+1 others)

Can reduce the levels of many common contaminants.

pros

  • Lower upfront cost
  • Reduced maintenance

cons

  • Does not remove all contaminants

Reverse Osmosis

FILTERS 0 contaminants exceeding guidelines (+3 others)

Can reduce the levels of many common contaminants.

pros

  • Most effective

cons

  • Higher upfront cost
  • Requires more maintenance
  • Wastes water

Other Considerations

Ion Exchange

Pros: Softens hard water, Reduces some contaminants

Cons: Doesn’t remove all contaminants

Whole-House Filters

Pros: Useful for reducing radiologicals and TCE

Cons: Expensive to install and maintain, Risk of bacterial contamination

Distillation

Pros: Removes heavy metals and harmful microbes

Cons: Does not reduce most contaminants

UNDERSTAND FILTER TECHNOLOGY

Explore filter options for each contaminant. See which technologies are effective at reducing specific contaminants to help you make an informed decision on the best water treatment solution for your needs.

OTHER CONTAMINANTS DETECTED activated carbon reverse osmosis ion exchange
Barium
Chloroethane
Fluoride

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