A-Z Drinking Water Contaminants

A-Z Drinking Water Contaminants

The links below will help you learn about contaminants that could affect Vermont waters, including your drinking water. You'll find information about:

  • what the contaminant is and how it gets in your water
  • how the contaminant can affect your health
  • how to test for the contaminant in water
  • how to treat for the contaminant if you have high levels in your drinking water

Need help understanding your drinking water test results? Find out how to read your results

Contaminant
Arsenic
Bacteria (total coliform, E. coli) and instructions on how to disinfect
Chloride
Copper
Disinfection byproducts
Gross alpha radiation
Hardness
Hydrogen sulfide gas (rotten egg smell)
Iron
Lead
Manganese
Nitrate and nitrite 
Organic chemicals (synthetic, volatile, pesticides, etc.)
PFAS (including PFOA)
Radon
Radium
Sodium
Uranium

More Information

The Health Department uses different types of drinking water guidance levels to protect people’s health. Drinking water that is contaminated above the guidance level may pose some health risk to people drinking the water. Learn more about Vermont's drinking water guidance levels