Is Bristol, CT tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
Bristol Water Department, the largest system here, had PFAS above the 2024 federal limits (PFOA) in EPA's 2023–2025 testing.
Is it an emergency? No: PFAS limits are about years of exposure, not a glass of water, and nothing in EPA's data calls for you to stop drinking the water today. If your utility issues a boil-water or do-not-drink notice, follow it.
3 public water systems serve parts of Bristol. The largest, Bristol Water Department, serves 52,079 people, and 3 systems here had PFAS above a federal limit. Your water bill names your system.
Largest system
Bristol Water Department
52,079 people · Surface water · EPA ID CT0170011
Buys treated water from New Britain Water Department, Connecticut Water Company – Naugatuck Region – Terryville System.
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA Above limit | 4.1 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFOS Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| PFNA Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
ppt = parts per trillion. "Highest average" is the highest average at any of the system's entry points, the way EPA compares results with the limits.
For context: the PFOA average is higher than at 59% of the Connecticut systems EPA tested.
Lead: 0 ppb at the 90th percentile (Nov 2026, and 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it) Below action level
Health-based violations since 2016: 0
Across Connecticut, 29 of 62 water systems EPA tested had PFAS above a 2024 federal limit, and 1 system were above the lead action level in results from the last five years. Connecticut results.
Bristol homes and lead pipes
Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so homes from before then are the ones to check. Renting? Ask your landlord what the service line is made of, because it's their pipe to replace. How to check your own line.
Housing: Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for Bristol city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
Other water systems serving Bristol
- Aquarion-Plainville Regional18,231 people · Groundwater · Connecticut · lists this cityPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · 1 health-based violation since 2016
- Connecticut Water Company – Unionville System14,693 people · Purchased surface water · Connecticut · lists this cityPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · PFHxS detected · 2 health-based violations since 2016
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| New Britain 8 mi New Britain Water Department | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Waterbury 10 mi Waterbury Water Department | None above limits | 0.05 ppb |
| Meriden 13 mi Regional Water Authority | Above limit | 0 ppb |
| Torrington 14 mi Torrington Water Company | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Naugatuck 14 mi Connecticut Water Company – Naugatuck Region-Central System | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Hartford 15 mi Metropolitan District Commission | None above limits | 0 ppb |
Bristol ZIP codes (1)
- 06010
Questions
Is Bristol tap water safe to drink?
Bristol Water Department has had no health-based violations since 2016, and EPA testing found PFAS above the 2024 federal limits, which it must meet by 2029. Utility data can't show lead from your own pipes: if your home was built before 1986, test your tap. Your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report is the official summary.
Who supplies water in Bristol, CT?
3 public water systems serve parts of Bristol. The largest is Bristol Water Department (52,079 people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Bristol tap water have PFAS?
Yes. EPA's 2023–2025 testing found entry-point averages above the 2024 federal limits for PFOA at Bristol Water Department. Systems have until 2029 to meet them.
Do Bristol homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 69% of Bristol homes as built before 1980 (Connecticut: 67%). Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so older homes are more likely to have them. Bristol Water Department's service line inventory says what your line is made of. The only way to know for your home is to check the line where it enters the house and test your tap.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.