We read 13 results from City of Salisbury’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 3 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 30,343 people · Water system ID MD0220004 · Read the district’s 2025 report (opens in a new tab)
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Results from the 2025 report
Each number is copied from the district’s report and links to the page it’s printed on. Where the report lists several plants, wells or purchased water, the highest is shown.
| Contaminant | Result | Health goal | Legal limit | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross beta (radioactivity)highest measured · range 4.9 to 6.9 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2021 · Wells · 2025 report, page 3 | 6.9 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 50 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| PFOA (a PFAS)average · range ND to 5.9 · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report, page 3 | 1.48 ppt | 0.007 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the health goal211x the health goal |
| PFOS (a PFAS)average · range ND to 20 · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report, page 3 | 6.88 ppt | 1 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the federal limit that takes effect in 20291.7x the 4 ppt federal limit that takes effect in 2029Not a violation yet: EPA's 4 ppt limit is final, but water systems don't have to meet it until 2029. |
| Bariumas reported · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 3 | 0.17 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Chlorineas reported · range 1 to 1 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 3 | 1 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Copper90th percentile of homes tested · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2024 · Customer taps · 2025 report, page 3 | 0.1 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)highest running annual average · range ND to 17 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 3 | 3 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest running annual average · range ND to 4.4 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 3 | 3 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Nitrate (as N)highest measured · range 3.3 to 5.9 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 3 | 5.9 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| PFHxS (a PFAS)average · range ND to 6.2 · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report, page 3 | 2.35 ppt | None set | 10 ppt from 2029 | Below the legal limit |
| Dibromochloromethaneas reported · listed as a violation in the report · printed as 0.00062 mg/L · Treated water · 2025 report, page 3 | 0.62 ppb | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFBS (a PFAS)average · range ND to 6.2 · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report, page 3 | 2.58 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFHxA (a PFAS)average · range ND to 4.1 · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report, page 3 | 2 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
Utility results describe the whole system, measured where water enters the pipes, not your tap. Your home’s plumbing can add lead or copper.
EPA testing for PFAS and lithium
EPA’s own nationwide testing (UCMR 5) found these in City of Salisbury’s water between Jan 2023 and Jul 2023. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFOA5.9 pptFound in 1 of 4 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFOS20 pptFound in 2 of 4 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFHxS6.2 pptFound in 2 of 4 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
- PFBS6.2 pptFound in 2 of 4 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
Source: EPA UCMR 5 occurrence data. The highest single result is shown; one high sample doesn’t mean every glass is that high.
What you can do
Nothing here is an emergency notice: if the district has a violation, it must tell customers directly. If you’d like to lower these at your tap, these are the treatments that remove them, and the catalog shows the models certified for each. Ranking is by certified removal; commissions never change the order.
Radium and uranium
Found: Gross beta (radioactivity)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
Found: PFOA (a PFAS), PFOS (a PFAS), PFOA (EPA testing), PFOS (EPA testing)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
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