Water Quality in Delaware
207 water systems • 42 cities • EPA SDWIS Data
207
Water Systems
1,242
Total Violations
314
Health-Based Violations
1,018,198
Population Served
Overview
Delaware ranks 47th among all U.S. states for total drinking water violations, out of 51 states tracked. The state has 1,242 EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record across 207 water systems serving 42 cities. Of those, 314 are health-based violations, meaning a regulated contaminant was measured above the EPA-established safe level. Delaware's total violation count is 97% below the national average. Water systems in Delaware serve approximately 1,018,198 people. The most frequently cited contaminants in Delaware violations include Selenium, Gross Alpha, Nitrate, Chlorine, Contaminant 1925.
Cities with Most Violations in Delaware
| # | City | Violations | Health-Based | Water Systems | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Millsboro | 124 | 44 | 7 | 9,660 |
| 2 | Smyrna | 72 | 11 | 8 | 13,629 |
| 3 | Dover | 65 | 15 | 56 | 251,405 |
| 4 | Newark | 45 | 11 | 21 | 322,041 |
| 5 | Rehoboth Beach | 43 | 18 | 7 | 28,380 |
| 6 | Georgetown | 41 | 7 | 5 | 8,042 |
| 7 | Felton | 33 | 2 | 5 | 1,827 |
| 8 | Laurel | 32 | 3 | 7 | 6,134 |
| 9 | Seaford | 31 | 9 | 4 | 7,764 |
| 10 | Harrington | 29 | 0 | 6 | 3,875 |
Largest Cities in Delaware
| # | City | Population | Violations | Water Systems |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newark | 322,041 | 45 | 21 |
| 2 | Dover | 251,405 | 65 | 56 |
| 3 | Wilmington | 208,471 | 8 | 2 |
| 4 | Frankford | 31,350 | 0 | 2 |
| 5 | Rehoboth Beach | 28,380 | 43 | 7 |
| 6 | Bethany Beach | 24,450 | 2 | 2 |
| 7 | Middletown | 23,166 | 3 | 4 |
| 8 | Smyrna | 13,629 | 72 | 8 |
| 9 | Long Neck | 11,909 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Lewes | 11,879 | 27 | 6 |
All Cities in Delaware
| City | Population | Violations | Health Violations | Contaminants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newark | 322,041 | 45 | 11 | Contaminant 1028, Contaminant 1032, Contaminant 1925 +1 more |
| Dover | 251,405 | 65 | 15 | Chlorine, Contaminant 1032, Contaminant 1925 +2 more |
| Wilmington | 208,471 | 8 | 1 | Bromate |
| Frankford | 31,350 | 0 | 0 | |
| Rehoboth Beach | 28,380 | 43 | 18 | Chlorine, E. coli, Selenium |
| Bethany Beach | 24,450 | 2 | 0 | |
| Middletown | 23,166 | 3 | 0 | |
| Smyrna | 13,629 | 72 | 11 | Total Organic Carbon |
| Long Neck | 11,909 | 0 | 0 | |
| Lewes | 11,879 | 27 | 7 | Contaminant 1925, Selenium |
| Milford | 9,800 | 1 | 1 | Lead |
| Millsboro | 9,660 | 124 | 44 | Chlorine, Contaminant 1925, Gross Alpha +1 more |
| Georgetown | 8,042 | 41 | 7 | Contaminant 1925, E. coli, Selenium |
| Seaford | 7,764 | 31 | 9 | Selenium, Total Organic Carbon |
| Laurel | 6,134 | 32 | 3 | Contaminant 1028, Contaminant 1032, Contaminant 1925 |
| Bridgeville | 6,000 | 0 | 0 | |
| Selbyville | 5,811 | 17 | 5 | TTHM |
| New Castle | 5,549 | 1 | 0 | |
| Camden | 5,050 | 15 | 0 | |
| Harrington | 3,875 | 29 | 0 | |
| Bear | 3,573 | 11 | 0 | |
| Milton | 3,248 | 10 | 0 | |
| Delmar | 2,237 | 4 | 0 | |
| Felton | 1,827 | 33 | 2 | Chlorine |
| Salisbury | 1,764 | 0 | 0 | |
| Pittsford | 1,509 | 19 | 0 | |
| Blades | 1,200 | 9 | 1 | Contaminant 1925 |
| Greenwood | 1,188 | 11 | 3 | Contaminant 1925, E. coli |
| Rehoboth | 1,172 | 10 | 0 | |
| Magnolia | 1,061 | 19 | 1 | Chlorine |
| Dagsboro | 1,027 | 19 | 0 | |
| Frederica | 950 | 2 | 0 | |
| Winterthur | 687 | 1 | 0 | |
| Ocean View | 683 | 7 | 2 | Contaminant 1017 |
| Crofton | 225 | 6 | 0 | |
| New York | 212 | 13 | 0 | |
| Willow Street | 210 | 2 | 0 | |
| Southfield | 195 | 20 | 1 | Total Organic Carbon |
| Kenton | 168 | 8 | 2 | Chlorine |
| Clarksville | 115 | 24 | 6 | Selenium |
| Ridgely | 111 | 0 | 0 | |
| Wyoming | 110 | 11 | 0 |
Water Quality in Other States
Alabama 13,972 violations Alaska 73,527 violations Arizona 60,414 violations Arkansas 17,031 violations California 39,276 violations Colorado 42,596 violations Connecticut 28,800 violations District of Columbia 115 violations Florida 36,335 violations Georgia 32,159 violations Hawaii 182 violations Idaho 26,078 violations Illinois 30,544 violations Indiana 18,261 violations Iowa 9,389 violations Kansas 19,480 violations Kentucky 9,427 violations Louisiana 32,039 violations Maine 6,830 violations Maryland 5,321 violations Massachusetts 10,561 violations Michigan 15,820 violations Minnesota 3,784 violations Mississippi 25,296 violations Missouri 25,377 violations Montana 20,202 violations Nebraska 5,134 violations Nevada 8,167 violations New Hampshire 6,968 violations New Jersey 19,332 violations New Mexico 37,115 violations New York 93,834 violations North Carolina 54,399 violations North Dakota 8,431 violations Ohio 61,604 violations Oklahoma 128,472 violations Oregon 0 violations Pennsylvania 199,265 violations Rhode Island 0 violations South Carolina 13,045 violations South Dakota 19,565 violations Tennessee 20,607 violations Texas 263,180 violations Utah 71,655 violations Vermont 12,362 violations Virginia 15,298 violations Washington 54,459 violations West Virginia 81,622 violations Wisconsin 18,533 violations Wyoming 13,783 violations
Data Sources
Drinking water data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). Only active community water systems (CWS) serving 100+ people are included.