Forever Chemicals
Curious what the water looks like across Delaware — for a move, for your own health, or just because it's your home ground and you'd like to know? You're in the right place. The agency you'd ultimately turn to is the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), and we've gathered the federal records so the digging is already done. What follows draws on the EPA, the Department of Defense, and the Toxics Release Inventory, set out in plain terms. There's no safety verdict here and no spin — only what the public records show about Delaware's water, which is the sort of thing worth reviewing when evaluating an address.
EPA's UCMR 5 program (2021–2024) tested 36 public water systems in Delaware for 29 PFAS compounds; 14 reported at least one detection and none exceeded the 2024 federal limit of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (a 39% detection rate). Detections vary by water system — check the utility serving a specific Delaware address.
In Delaware, environmental oversight runs through the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), with drinking water for public systems handled by the state's Division of Public Health. Delaware has investigated PFAS and issued guidance, but on enforceable drinking-water limits it largely follows the federal benchmark: residents are covered by the April 2024 federal limits administered through the state rather than a separate, stricter Delaware number. Small state, real office — DNREC is the name behind the records you see below.
Numbers below come straight from EPA UCMR 5 monitoring (2021–2024). Every public water system in Delawareserving more than 3,300 people had to test for 29 different PFAS — here's what they reported.
36
Water systems tested
UCMR 5 (2021–2024)
14
Systems with any PFAS detected
39% detection rate
0
Systems exceeding 2024 MCL
Above 4 ppt PFOA/PFOS
9
Distinct PFAS compounds detected
Of 29 monitored under UCMR 5
0
TRI-reporting PFAS facilities
EPA Toxics Release Inventory 2024
1
DoD PFAS installations
Military PFAS contamination sites
Red triangles are military installations the Department of Defense has flagged for PFAS from firefighting foam. Orange dots are industrial facilities that reported PFAS to the EPA Toxics Release Inventory. If your future home sits near a cluster, that's a conversation worth having with the seller or landlord.
These are the Delawareutilities where EPA testing found PFAS the most often or at the highest levels. Being on this list doesn't automatically mean today's tap water is unsafe — some systems have added treatment since these samples were taken — but it means a conversation with the utility is worth having before you move in.
| Water system | Detections | Max value (ng/L) | vs 2024 MCL |
|---|---|---|---|
| MUNICIPAL SERVICES COMMISSION | 2 | 0.15 | Below MCL |
| SUEZ WATER DELAWARE | 7 | 0.03 | Below MCL |
| GEORGETOWN WATER DEPARTMENT | 8 | 0.02 | Below MCL |
| STAGE VILLAGE MHC | 5 | 0.01 | Below MCL |
| BAYSIDE PUMP DISTRICT | 3 | 0.01 | Below MCL |
| LEWES BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS | 3 | 0.01 | Below MCL |
| SMYRNA WATER DEPARTMENT | 5 | 0.01 | Below MCL |
| ARTESIAN NORTHERN SUSSEX REGIONAL | 4 | 0.01 | Below MCL |
| DEWEY BEACH WATER DEPARTMENT | 4 | 0.01 | Below MCL |
| SEAFORD WATER DEPARTMENT | 2 | 0.01 | Below MCL |
PFAS isn't one chemical — it's a family of thousands. Here are the specific compounds EPA picked up most often across Delaware water systems. PFOA and PFOS are the two with the strictest federal limits (4 parts per trillion).
For decades the military trained with AFFF firefighting foam loaded with PFAS. It soaked into soil and groundwater and, in many places, traveled miles. If you're house-hunting near any of these Delaware installations, the address report will tell you exactly how close.
Dover AFB
Air Force
Looking at a specific Delawarecity? Each page below pulls the same federal data narrowed to that water system — useful whether you're relocating, buying, organizing your neighborhood around getting cleaner water, or just trying to find out what's in the tap and what's around you.
A little context keeps any single figure in proportion. UCMR 5 tested for 29 PFAS compounds from 2021 to 2024, and only at public systems serving more than about 3,300 people. So the gaps matter: private wells and small rural systems were never required to test, and a detection logged a couple of years ago doesn't automatically describe what's at the tap now. For Delaware addresses on private wells, DNREC and the state's drinking-water office provide testing guidance worth following. The acronym pileup — UCMR, MCL, DNREC itself — is a genuine mouthful, so no shame in needing a moment with it. The military angle calls for a plainer tone. Firefighting crews trained for decades with AFFF foam containing PFAS, and those compounds don't break down; they migrate through groundwater and can surface far from where they were used. That's the link between the installations listed above and the water-system data here, and it's why veterans and their families often have the most personal reason to read closely.
Yes. EPA UCMR 5 monitoring (2021–2024) tested 36 public water systems in Delaware; 14 had at least one PFAS detection. Detections vary by water system — check your specific serving utility.
Delaware has investigated PFAS and issued guidance, but on enforceable drinking-water limits it largely follows the federal benchmark. Residents are covered by the April 2024 federal limits administered through the state — 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS, and 10 ppt each for PFHxS, PFNA, and GenX.
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) leads environmental oversight and PFAS investigation, while the state's Division of Public Health administers drinking water for public systems. Delaware's enforceable drinking-water posture tends to align with the federal PFAS rule.
DNREC is the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, the state agency responsible for environmental protection and natural-resource management. Drinking-water regulation for public systems is handled with the state Division of Public Health.
Use VetMyAddress to see the PFAS detections reported for the public water system serving any Delaware address, alongside nearby military bases and industrial PFAS sources. The data comes from EPA UCMR 5, EPA TRI, and the DoD PFAS installation report.
In April 2024 the EPA set the first enforceable federal limits for PFAS in drinking water: 4 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS, and 10 ppt each for PFHxS, PFNA, and HFPO-DA (GenX), plus a Hazard Index for certain mixtures. Public water systems must complete initial monitoring by 2027 and come into compliance after that.
No. The federal limits apply to public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own testing and treatment, which is especially worth doing near a known PFAS source like a military base or industrial site.
State numbers tell you the pattern. An address report tells you what's actually in the water at yourkitchen sink — the matched utility, the PFAS detections on file, and every military or industrial source nearby. Whether it's for your family, your neighbors, or peace of mind.
Data sources: EPA UCMR 5 bulk data · EPA TRI 2024 · DoD PFAS installation report