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.

PFAS

PFOA in Connecticut Drinking Water

PFOA has been detected in water systems serving 6,377 ZIP codes nationwide. Here is what you need to know about pfoa in your drinking water and how it may affect your household.

What Is PFOA?

PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) is a synthetic chemical formerly used in manufacturing Teflon and other nonstick products. It enters water through industrial discharge, landfill leachate, and firefighting foam runoff. The EPA maximum contaminant level is 4 parts per trillion. PFOA does not break down in the environment or the human body and is associated with kidney cancer, liver damage, and developmental harm.

Is PFOA in Your Water?

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

Check Your ZIP Code

Health Effects of PFOA

Cancer; harm to the immune system; hormone disruption; harm to fetal growth and child development; harm to the liver

Safety Guidelines

Health Guideline

7e-9 mg/L

Source: CA_OEHHA_PHG

Legal Limit (MCL)

4 ppt

EPA Maximum Contaminant Level

Where Does PFOA Come From?

Non-stick cookware manufacturing, firefighting foam (AFFF), industrial discharge, stain-resistant fabric treatment, food packaging.

How to Reduce PFOA in Your Water

1Install a reverse osmosis system certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 58, which typically achieves greater than 90% removal of PFOA from drinking water.
2Use a high-quality activated carbon block filter certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 with PFOA specifically listed on the performance data sheet.
3For well water users with elevated PFOA, consider a point-of-entry anion exchange system designed for PFAS compounds, which can treat all water entering the home.
4Retest your water every 6 to 12 months using EPA Method 533 or 537.1 to monitor PFOA levels and confirm your filtration system continues to perform effectively.

Who Is Most Vulnerable to PFOA?

The safe level of pfoa 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 PFOA in my tap water?▾

PFOA has been detected in water systems across 6,377 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 PFOA is safe?▾

The safe level depends on who is drinking the water. The health guideline is 7e-9 mg/L, 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 PFOA from my water?▾

Install a reverse osmosis system certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 58, which typically achieves greater than 90% removal of PFOA from drinking water. Use a high-quality activated carbon block filter certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 with PFOA specifically listed on the performance data sheet. For a personalized consultation, contact Valiant Energy Solutions at (475) 557-5107.

Related Contaminants

PFHxS PFNA PFOS PFHpA PFBS

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