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.

Heavy Metals

Lead in Connecticut Drinking Water

Lead has been detected in water systems serving 12,828 ZIP codes nationwide. Here is what you need to know about lead in your drinking water and how it may affect your household.

What Is Lead?

Lead is a toxic heavy metal that leaches into drinking water from corroded pipes, solder, and plumbing fixtures, particularly in homes built before 1986. The EPA action level is 15 parts per billion, but no amount of lead in water is considered safe. Chronic exposure causes developmental delays in children and kidney damage in adults.

Is Lead in Your Water?

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

Check Your ZIP Code

Health Effects of Lead

Brain and nervous system damage, developmental delays in children, reduced IQ, behavioral problems, kidney damage, and reproductive harm. No safe level of lead exposure has been identified, especially for children under 6.

Safety Guidelines

Legal Limit (MCL)

0.015 mg/L

EPA Maximum Contaminant Level

Where Does Lead Come From?

Corrosion of household plumbing and lead service lines; lead solder on copper pipes; brass fixtures; erosion of natural deposits.

How to Reduce Lead in Your Water

1Install a point-of-use filter certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for lead reduction, such as a reverse osmosis system or activated carbon block filter.
2Run cold water for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before drinking or cooking, especially after water has sat in pipes for several hours, to flush lead-laden water from the service line.
3Replace lead service lines and any brass fixtures or lead solder connections in your home plumbing, and test your water annually through a state-certified laboratory.
4Never use hot tap water for drinking, cooking, or preparing baby formula, as hot water dissolves lead from plumbing more readily than cold water.

Who Is Most Vulnerable to Lead?

The safe level of lead 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 Lead in my tap water?▾

Lead has been detected in water systems across 12,828 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 Lead is safe?▾

The safe level depends on who is drinking the water. Health guidelines vary by source, 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 Lead from my water?▾

Install a point-of-use filter certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for lead reduction, such as a reverse osmosis system or activated carbon block filter. Run cold water for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before drinking or cooking, especially after water has sat in pipes for several hours, to flush lead-laden water from the service line. For a personalized consultation, contact Valiant Energy Solutions at (475) 557-5107.

Related Contaminants

Nitrate Copper Barium 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