Is my tap water safe to drink in Connecticut?

It depends on your ZIP code and who lives in your home. CheckYourTap analyzes 120+ contaminants in your local water supply and shows which ones exceed health guidelines — not just legal limits. Many contaminants are legal but still pose health risks, especially for babies, pregnant women, elderly, and pets.

What contaminants are in Connecticut tap water?

Connecticut tap water commonly contains disinfection byproducts (haloacetic acids, trihalomethanes), lead from aging pipes, PFAS (forever chemicals), nitrates, arsenic, and radionuclides like radium. The specific contaminants and levels vary by water system — enter your ZIP code to see your local results.

How does CheckYourTap differ from EWG or other water quality databases?

CheckYourTap is the only water quality report personalized for your household composition. Tell us who lives in your home — babies, children, pregnant women, elderly, dogs, or cats — and we calculate adjusted safe levels for each person. A contaminant safe for adults may exceed guidelines for infants by 8x or more.

Is CheckYourTap free?

Yes, CheckYourTap is completely free. Enter your Connecticut ZIP code and household members to get a personalized water quality report with health risk assessments for 120+ contaminants.

Does CheckYourTap cover well water in Connecticut?

Yes. CheckYourTap covers both city water (public water systems) and private well water in Connecticut. Well water reports use USGS groundwater data and include geology-based risk factors for arsenic, uranium, and radon specific to your area.

Inorganics

Barium in Connecticut Drinking Water

Barium has been detected in water systems serving 12,303 ZIP codes nationwide. Here is what you need to know about barium in your drinking water and how it may affect your household.

What Is Barium?

Barium is a naturally occurring alkaline earth metal that dissolves into groundwater from the weathering of barium-bearing minerals such as barite and witherite. It is more common in areas with limestone and dolomite geology. The EPA maximum contaminant level is 2 milligrams per liter. Chronic exposure to elevated barium levels causes increased blood pressure, and high acute doses can cause cardiac arrhythmia.

Is Barium in Your Water?

Enter your Connecticut ZIP code to find out if barium is in your local water — and see personalized health risks for your household.

Check Your ZIP Code

Health Effects of Barium

Increase in blood pressure

Safety Guidelines

Health Guideline

0.7 ppm

Source: EWG

Legal Limit (MCL)

2 mg/L

EPA Maximum Contaminant Level

Where Does Barium Come From?

Discharge of drilling wastes; discharge from metal refineries; erosion of natural deposits

How to Reduce Barium in Your Water

1Install a reverse osmosis system certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 58 for barium reduction, which removes approximately 90 to 95% of dissolved barium.
2Use a cation exchange water softener, which effectively removes barium because it behaves chemically like calcium and is exchanged onto the resin during normal softening.
3For residential use, reverse osmosis and ion exchange are the most practical and well-documented options for barium reduction.
4Test your water before and after treatment to verify barium reduction, and maintain your system according to the manufacturer's schedule.

Who Is Most Vulnerable to Barium?

The safe level of barium varies significantly depending on who is drinking the water. CheckYourTap calculates adjusted safe levels for each member of your household:

Infants (under 1 year)

Toddlers (1-3 years)

Children (4-11 years)

Pregnant women

Elderly (65+)

Adults

Dogs

Cats

A contaminant level that is safe for an adult may exceed guidelines for an infant by 4-8x or more. Check your ZIP code to see personalized results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Barium in my tap water?▾

Barium has been detected in water systems across 12,303 ZIP codes. Whether it's in your specific water depends on your local water system. Enter your CT ZIP code at CheckYourTap.com for a free, instant report.

What level of Barium is safe?▾

The safe level depends on who is drinking the water. The health guideline is 0.7 ppm, but infants, pregnant women, and pets may need much lower levels. CheckYourTap calculates adjusted safe levels for 11 different household member types.

How do I remove Barium from my water?▾

Install a reverse osmosis system certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 58 for barium reduction, which removes approximately 90 to 95% of dissolved barium. Use a cation exchange water softener, which effectively removes barium because it behaves chemically like calcium and is exchanged onto the resin during normal softening. For a personalized consultation, contact Valiant Energy Solutions at (475) 557-5107.

Related Contaminants

Nitrate Copper Lead Fluoride Nitrate-Nitrite

Check Water Quality by ZIP Code

Hartford 06103 New Haven 06510 Bridgeport 06604 Stamford 06901 Waterbury 06702 Norwalk 06850 Danbury 06810 Manchester 06040 View all cities →

View all contaminants in Connecticut water

About This Report

This water quality report is compiled from public records filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, state health departments, and the U.S. Geological Survey. Contaminant levels are evaluated against EPA federal standards and health-based guidelines from leading environmental and public health organizations. CheckYourTap is a service of Valiant Energy Solutions, a Connecticut water quality and energy services company established in 1930.

EPA SDWISUSGS NWISEWG Tap Water DatabaseCA OEHHA Public Health GoalsWHO Drinking Water Guidelines

Last updated March 2026