Is Frederick, MD tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
No federal limits exceeded in EPA data for New Design – Frederick County Water System. 1 PFAS were detected below the limits.
3 public water systems serve parts of Frederick. The largest, New Design – Frederick County Water System, serves 74,911 people. Your water bill names your system.
Largest system
New Design – Frederick County Water System
74,911 people · Surface water · EPA ID MD0100030
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA Not detected | – | 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.
Lead: 3 ppb at the 90th percentile (Dec 2019, and 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it) No results since 2019
Health-based violations since 2016: 0
Across Maryland, 13 of 76 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. Maryland results.
Frederick 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 Frederick city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
Which system serves your ZIP code
Based on the ZIP codes each system reported serving. Boundaries don't follow ZIP lines exactly, so your water bill is the final word.
| System | ZIP codes in Frederick |
|---|---|
| City of Frederick 54,000 people | 21702, 21705 |
| New Design – Frederick County Water System 74,911 people | 21701 |
Other water systems serving Frederick
- City of Frederick54,000 people · Surface water · Maryland · lists this cityNo PFAS above limits
- Fort Detrick Water System7,900 people · Surface water · Maryland · reported ZIPs hereTotal trihalomethanes (TTHM) violations
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Hagerstown 22 mi City of Hagerstown | None above limits | 0.8 ppb |
| Gaithersburg 23 mi Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission | None above limits | – |
| Rockville 28 mi Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission | None above limits | – |
| Laurel 38 mi Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission | None above limits | – |
| College Park 40 mi Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission | None above limits | – |
| Baltimore 44 mi City of Baltimore | None above limits | 2.74 ppb |
Questions
Is Frederick tap water safe to drink?
New Design – Frederick County Water System has had no health-based violations since 2016. 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 Frederick, MD?
3 public water systems serve parts of Frederick. The largest is New Design – Frederick County Water System (74,911 people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Frederick tap water have PFAS?
New Design – Frederick County Water System had 1 PFAS detected at least once in EPA's 2023–2025 testing, all with averages below the federal limits.
Do Frederick homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 35% of Frederick homes as built before 1980 (Maryland: 51%). Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so older homes are more likely to have them. New Design – Frederick County Water System'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.