Is There Barium in Madison, CT Water? (ZIP 06443)
Yes. Barium has been detected in the public water serving Madison, CT (ZIP 06443) in every sample tested — above the EPA limit in 3% of samples.
Federal legal limits and stricter health guidelines are not the same — enter your household below for a report on what this means for the specific people in your home.
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.
How to remove Barium from your 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 residential use, reverse osmosis and ion exchange are the most practical and well-documented options for barium reduction.
Test your water before and after treatment to verify barium reduction, and maintain your system according to the manufacturer's schedule.
See what Barium means for your household
Get a free report personalized to the people in your home — infants, pregnancy, children, elderly, and pets.
Check 06443 Water NowHow Madison compares
Across Connecticut, Barium is detected in 123 of the communities we track, and is above a limit or standard in 1. In Madison (06443), it was found in every sample tested, above the EPA limit in 3% of samples.
Other contaminants of concern in Madison (06443)
Last updated July 2026.