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Community Water System · PWS MD0060012

City of Taneytown

Taneytown, Maryland 21787 - drinking water served from groundwater sources to 6,750 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

6,750
People served
99
EPA violations
8
Health-based
6 PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 99 drinking-water violations at City of Taneytown, 8% of them health-based - above the Maryland per-system average, and UCMR5 testing detected 6 PFAS compounds.

99
Total EPA violations on record
8%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
6,750
People served by this system
6
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: City of Taneytown

City of Taneytown is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 6,750 residents in Taneytown, Maryland (Carroll County) through 2,635 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 99 total violations for this system , of which 8 (8%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 91 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2010.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Coliform (TCR), recorded in 8 violations (MCL, health-based). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 6 PFAS compounds were detected in samples collected from this system, with a maximum reported concentration of 15.1 ppt (parts per trillion). PFAS are persistent synthetic chemicals linked to health effects at very low exposure levels.

Across Maryland, EPA tracks 3,215 public water systems serving 6,070,211 people, with 60,496 cumulative violations and 18,132 health-based violations on record. About 80% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 18.8 violations. Statewide, 50 of 83 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (60.2%).

City of Taneytown's 99 violations sit above the Maryland average.

All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.

PFAS Detected

6 PFAS "forever chemicals" detected in testing under EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program.

Population Served
6,750
Total Violations
99
Health-Based Violations
8
Water Source
Groundwater

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
2,635
County
Carroll
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
8
Monitoring Violations
91
Treatment Tech Violations
0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Coliform (TCR) MCL 8 2009
Coliform (TCR) MR 5 2010
1,2-Dichloroethane MR 4 2001
1,1,1-Trichloroethane MR 4 2001
Carbon tetrachloride MR 4 2001
1,2-Dichloropropane MR 4 2001
Trichloroethylene MR 4 2001
1,1,2-Trichloroethane MR 4 2001
Tetrachloroethylene MR 4 2001
Benzene MR 4 2001
Ethylbenzene MR 4 2001
Styrene MR 4 2001
Xylenes, Total MR 4 2001
DICHLOROMETHANE MR 4 2001
o-Dichlorobenzene MR 4 2001
p-Dichlorobenzene MR 4 2001
Vinyl chloride MR 4 2001
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 4 2001
CHLOROBENZENE MR 4 2001
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 4 2001
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene MR 4 2001
Toluene MR 4 2001
1,1-Dichloroethylene MR 4 2001
Lead and Copper Rule MR 2 1992

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 21 of 406 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFTA 7/15/2024 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 7/15/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 7/15/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 7/15/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 7/15/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 7/15/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 7/15/2024 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 7/15/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 7/15/2024 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 7/15/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 7/15/2024 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 7/15/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 7/15/2024 6.50 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFHpA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 7/15/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 7/15/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 7/15/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 7/15/2024 4.10 ppt 4.00 ppt Detected
PFDA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 7/15/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 7/15/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 7/15/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 7/15/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 7/15/2024 4.50 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFDoA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 7/15/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 7/15/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 7/15/2024 7.40 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
NEtFOSAA 7/15/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 7/15/2024 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 7/15/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 7/15/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 7/15/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 7/15/2024 5.60 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFMBA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 7/15/2024 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected

Verify This Water System

The figures above are aggregated from EPA's public databases. To verify the underlying records, or to file a complaint, request a Consumer Confidence Report, or check current monitoring status, go directly to the federal and state regulators that enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act for City of Taneytown.

Federal Source of Truth

EPA SDWIS, Federal Reports

EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) holds the federal compliance record for every regulated public water system. Open the system-level report by PWS ID:

View PWS ID MD0060012 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Maryland Drinking Water Authority

Maryland's primacy agency administers the Safe Drinking Water Act locally. Search EPA SDWIS for the current state contact, or use the state's public health or environment department portal.

Find MD regulator via EPA SDWIS

Violation Timeline

Each row links to the EPA SDWIS public record for verification. Cross-reference the contaminant code on EPA's federal report to see violation dates, return-to-compliance status, and enforcement actions.

Year (latest) Contaminant Category Count EPA Record
2010 Coliform (TCR) MR 5 SDWIS / MD0060012 / 3100
2009 Coliform (TCR) MCL 8 SDWIS / MD0060012 / 3100
2001 1,2-Dichloroethane MR 4 SDWIS / MD0060012 / 2980
2001 1,1,1-Trichloroethane MR 4 SDWIS / MD0060012 / 2981
2001 Carbon tetrachloride MR 4 SDWIS / MD0060012 / 2982
2001 1,2-Dichloropropane MR 4 SDWIS / MD0060012 / 2983
2001 Trichloroethylene MR 4 SDWIS / MD0060012 / 2984
2001 1,1,2-Trichloroethane MR 4 SDWIS / MD0060012 / 2985
2001 Tetrachloroethylene MR 4 SDWIS / MD0060012 / 2987
2001 Benzene MR 4 SDWIS / MD0060012 / 2990
2001 Ethylbenzene MR 4 SDWIS / MD0060012 / 2992
2001 Styrene MR 4 SDWIS / MD0060012 / 2996
2001 Xylenes, Total MR 4 SDWIS / MD0060012 / 2955
2001 DICHLOROMETHANE MR 4 SDWIS / MD0060012 / 2964
2001 o-Dichlorobenzene MR 4 SDWIS / MD0060012 / 2968

How City of Taneytown Compares

Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.

Metric City of Taneytown Maryland avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 99 18.8 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 8 5.6 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection 6 compounds 60.2% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 6,750 1,888 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 3,215 regulated public water systems in Maryland.

Federal MCL reference, Safe Drinking Water Act thresholds ▼
Contaminant Federal MCL / Action Level Note
Lead 0 mg/L (Action Level: 0.015 mg/L) Lead and Copper Rule treatment technique
Arsenic 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) Health-based MCL since 2006
Total Coliform Treatment technique (RTCR) Indicator organism, monitoring trigger
PFOA / PFOS (PFAS) 4.0 ppt each (final 2024 rule) Compliance deadline 2029 (EPA proposed extending to 2031, not yet final as of May 2026)
Nitrate (as N) 10 mg/L Acute health risk for infants

Frequently Asked Questions

Is City of Taneytown water safe to drink? ▼
City of Taneytown (PWS ID: MD0060012) has 99 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 6 PFAS compounds found. This system serves 6,750 people using Groundwater sources.
How many people does City of Taneytown serve? ▼
City of Taneytown serves 6,750 people in Taneytown, Maryland. It is a Local-owned system using Groundwater water sources with 2,635 service connections.
What type of violations does City of Taneytown have? ▼
City of Taneytown has 99 total violations: 8 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 91 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in City of Taneytown water? ▼
Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 6 PFAS compounds in City of Taneytown's water supply: PFBS, PFOA, PFHxA, PFPeA, PFOS, and others. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.
What water source does City of Taneytown use? ▼
City of Taneytown uses Groundwater as its primary water source. It is classified as a Community Water System (CWS), serving residential populations year-round.
Where does this data come from? ▼
All data comes from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and the UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program. SDWIS tracks compliance for all public water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Data Sources: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), Q4 2025. PFAS data from EPA UCMR5 monitoring program (2023-2025). This data is provided for informational purposes only.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Data sourced from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 PFAS monitoring data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainWater Editorial

Every figure on PlainWater is rendered directly from EPA SDWIS drinking-water data, no number is typed in by an editor. This system's figures are rendered directly from EPA SDWIS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.