What's in Washington, DC tap water?
Washington, DC tap water is treated by DC Water using the Washington Aqueduct's Potomac River source. It meets federal legal limits, but EWG testing flags several disinfection byproducts and other contaminants well above health-based guidelines.
Zip codes covered: 20001, 20002, 20009, 20011, 20016, 20024, 20037 and surrounding Washingtonareas. “× over” compares the detected level to EWG's health guideline, not the federal legal limit.
How to get Washington water off that list
Here is the good news: everything above comes out at your kitchen tap. DC Water treats the water for the whole Washington system, but a reverse osmosis system finishes the job at your sink, catching what city treatment leaves behind. The Sanavia Hydra fits under a standard Washington sink and is NSF-certified to cut bromodichloromethane and the rest by up to 99%.
Washington water quality FAQ
Is Washington, DC tap water safe to drink?
DC Water water meets all federal EPA legal limits. However, independent EWG testing finds 4 contaminants above its stricter health-based guidelines, including Bromodichloromethane and Dichloroacetic acid. Legal compliance and health-optimal water are not the same thing.
What contaminants are in Washington water?
The most notable contaminants above EWG health guidelines are Bromodichloromethane, Dichloroacetic acid, Radium (226 + 228), Chromium-6 (hexavalent). These are largely disinfection byproducts and trace metals common to the region's water sources.
Does a reverse osmosis system remove these contaminants?
Yes. A reverse osmosis system like the Sanavia Hydra uses a 0.0001-micron membrane plus multi-stage carbon filtration, NSF-certified to reduce every contaminant class detected in Washington water, at your tap, regardless of what the utility does upstream.
The contaminants flagged in Washington water
Plain-English guides to what DC Watertesting turns up above EWG's health guidelines — what each one is, and what actually removes it.