Harford County Dept. of Public Works water quality
Bel Air South, MD · serves 104,567 people (39,311 connections) · Surface water · Local government · EPA ID MD0120016
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Buys water from Maryland American Water, City of Havre de Grace. Treated water bought from another system can carry that system's contaminants.
Summary
No federal limits exceeded in EPA data.
- PFAS
- Not detectedNone of 29 PFAS found above EPA's reporting limits in 10 samples (2023–2025).
- Lead
- Below action level0 ppb (parts per billion) at the 90th percentile: 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it. Action level 15 ppb, falling to 10 ppb in Nov 2027. Monitoring period ending Dec 2023. Your home's pipes can make yours higher.
- Violations
- None health-basedNo health-based violations since 2016.
- Built before 1986, or not sure what your service line is made of? Check your service line and test your tap. Utility data can't show your pipes.
- Tested your own tap? Compare your result with these numbers. Moving? Compare this system with another.
- Read Harford County Dept. of Public Works's annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report). It lists every regulated contaminant tested and is usually on the utility's website or mailed with your bill, and you can also request it at (410) 638-3939. EPA: how to find it.
PFAS (“forever chemicals”)
EPA UCMR 5: 3 entry points tested Jun 2023 to Mar 2024. "Average" is the highest entry-point average (non-detects counted as zero), the way EPA compares UCMR 5 results to the limits. ppt = parts per trillion. These results do not determine compliance.
| Contaminant | Highest average |
|---|---|
| PFOA Not detected Limit 4 ppt | – |
| PFOS Not detected Limit 4 ppt | – |
| PFHxS Not detected Limit 10 ppt | – |
| PFNA Not detected Limit 10 ppt | – |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected Limit 10 ppt | – |
| Hazard Index (a combined score for PFHxS, PFNA, GenX and PFBS, where above 1 is over the limit) Not detected Limit 1 | – |
| PFBS Not detected Guideline 2,000 ppt | – |
| PFBA Not detected Guideline 6,000 ppt | – |
| PFHxA Not detected Guideline 3,000 ppt | – |
29 PFAS tested, 0 detected at least once. "Not detected" means below EPA's reporting limit (about 2 to 20 ppt depending on the chemical), not proven zero. PFAS not listed were not detected. The limits for PFHxS, PFNA, GenX and the Hazard Index were proposed for rescission in May 2026. That proposal is not final. Systems have until 2029 to meet the limits.
Lithium
Not detected in 10 samples (reporting limit 9 ppb). About lithium.
Lead and copper
Latest 90th percentile: 0 ppb lead (Jan 2021 – Dec 2023). Below action level
| Monitoring period | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|
| Jan 2021 – Dec 2023 | 0 ppb |
| Jan 2018 – Dec 2020 | 0 ppb |
| Jan 2015 – Dec 2017 | -2 ppb |
Earlier results (9)
| Jan 2014 – Dec 2014 | 0 ppb |
| Jan 2013 – Dec 2013 | 0 ppb |
| Jan 2009 – Dec 2011 | 0 ppb |
| Jan 2006 – Dec 2008 | 0 ppb |
| Jan 2003 – Dec 2005 | 3 ppb |
| Jan 2002 – Dec 2002 | 2 ppb |
| Jan 2001 – Dec 2001 | 2 ppb |
| Jan 2000 – Dec 2000 | 6 ppb |
| Jan 1999 – Jun 1999 | 3 ppb |
Lead comes from pipes and fixtures, not the source water, so it varies home to home. The 90th percentile means 9 in 10 sampled homes were at or below it. More on lead.
Violations
Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded a limit or a required treatment step was missed. Monitoring and reporting violations mean required tests or reports were late or missing, so the water's quality during that time is unknown. The total includes every violation in EPA's records, most of them paperwork.
Earlier EPA testing (2013–2020)
| Contaminant | Highest | Guideline |
|---|---|---|
| Manganese | 24.3 ppb | 300 ppb |
| Chlorate | 434 ppb | 210 ppb |
| Chromium-6 | 1.33 ppb | – |
| Vanadium | 0.3 ppb | 21 ppb |
| Strontium | 0.13 ppm | 1.5 ppm |
Where it serves
Bel Air South, Edgewood, Bel Air North, Fallston, Joppatowne, Aberdeen, Perryman, Riverside
ZIP codes the system reported serving: 21001, 21009, 21014, 21015, 21017, 21040, 21047, 21050, 21078, 21085, 21130
Nearby utilities
- Maryland American Water Bel Air South · same area · PFAS above limit
- City of Aberdeen Aberdeen · 7 mi · PFAS above limit
- City of Baltimore Baltimore · 22 mi
- Town of Elkton Elkton · 27 mi · PFAS above limit
- Glen Burnie-Broadneck Water System Glen Burnie · 29 mi
- Town of Hampstead Hampstead · 30 mi · PFAS above limit
Questions
Is Harford County Dept. of Public Works water safe to drink?
Harford County Dept. of Public Works has no health-based violations since 2016. EPA testing found no PFAS above the federal limits. Federal data can't tell you about your own pipes: lead comes from service lines and plumbing, so test your tap if your home was built before 1986. For the official word, read the utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Harford County Dept. of Public Works water have PFAS?
EPA tested Harford County Dept. of Public Works for 29 PFAS between Jun 2023 and Mar 2024 and none were detected above the reporting limits (about 2 to 20 ppt depending on the chemical).
What is the lead level in Harford County Dept. of Public Works water?
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result for Harford County Dept. of Public Works is 0 ppb, for the period ending Dec 2023. The federal action level is 15 ppb, falling to 10 ppb in November 2027. The 90th percentile means 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below this number. Individual homes can be higher.
Check these numbers yourself
Every figure on this page comes from public EPA records. You don't have to take our word for it:
- EPA's own report for MD0120016: violations, enforcement and inspections, straight from EPA.
- EPA UCMR 5 data: the PFAS and lithium results (search the file for PWSID MD0120016).
- EPA SDWIS download: the lead results, population and violation records we use.
- The utility's annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report): ask Harford County Dept. of Public Works at (410) 638-3939, or see EPA's guide to finding it.
Found something that doesn't match? Tell us and we'll check it against EPA's records. How we check our data.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.