Is Maryland tap water safe to drink?

It meets the legal standards MDE requires of public systems, with two things to keep an eye on: PFAS has been found in most treatment plants the state tested, and disinfection byproducts appear in some city systems. To see how your own water fares against both, your utility's annual report is the place to look.

Does Maryland water have PFAS?

In a lot of places, yes. MDE has detected PFAS in the majority of water treatment plants tested statewide. The encouraging part is that the state isn't ignoring it: it has committed major funding for treatment and is requiring industrial dischargers to cut PFAS by July 2026.

Are there lead pipes in Maryland?

It depends on your system. MDE says the two largest, Baltimore City and WSSC, don't have lead service lines, which covers a lot of residents. Statewide, though, the EPA estimates around 71,000 lead service lines, and many more are still classified as unknown until inventories are finished, so a clean answer for your street may have to wait on that mapping.

Water quality

Maryland water quality

If you're in Maryland, the headline is PFAS, a family of long-lasting synthetic chemicals: the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) reports it has shown up in the majority of water treatment plants the state has tested. The reassuring flip side is that the state is acting on it, with major investment and a 2026 deadline for industrial dischargers to cut PFAS. On lead, there's some good news depending on where you live: MDE says the two largest systems, Baltimore City and WSSC, don't have lead service lines, though the EPA estimates tens of thousands remain statewide. And as with any chlorinated system, you can also see disinfection byproducts, the trace compounds that form when chlorine meets organic matter.

Documented considerations

PFAS

According to MDE, PFAS has been detected in the majority of water treatment plants tested statewide; Maryland's law sets a July 1, 2026 deadline for industrial PFAS dischargers to reduce discharges, and recent budgets included major treatment funding.

What removes pfas →

Disinfection byproducts

According to utility reporting, chlorine reacting with organic matter in systems such as Baltimore's produces haloacetic acids and trihalomethanes, which have been detected in major city systems.

What removes disinfection byproducts →

Lead

According to MDE, Baltimore City and WSSC do not have lead service lines, but the EPA estimates roughly 71,000 lead service lines statewide and some older towns report them; utilities are completing inventories under federal rules.

What removes lead →

Certified filters for Maryland's main concerns

8.4
Brita Elite Pitcher (10-Cup)
A pour-through pitcher whose Elite filter is certified to reduce lead, mercury, cadmium and more, with a long 120-gallon cartridge.
pfas, chlorine, lead
7.5
AquaTru Classic Countertop RO
A no-plumbing countertop 4-stage RO purifier certified to NSF standards for lead, PFAS, fluoride and arsenic with an efficient drain ratio.
pfas, chlorine, lead
7.5
Culligan US-EZ-4 Under-Sink
An under-sink filter genuinely IAPMO certified to NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401 for lead, cysts, VOCs, mercury and PFOA/PFOS.
pfas, chlorine, lead
7.2
Aquasana AQ-5200 Under-Sink
Certified for lead and PFAS, cheap per gallon, marketing matches the certified scope.
pfas, chlorine, lead
6.6
Waterdrop G3P800 Tankless RO
A tankless 800 GPD reverse-osmosis system IAPMO-certified to NSF/ANSI 42, 53, 58 and 372 for a broad contaminant list including lead, PFAS, arsenic, nitrate and fluoride.
pfas, chlorine, lead
4.9
ZeroWater 5-Stage Pitcher (7-Cup)
A five-stage ion-exchange pitcher certified for lead, chromium-6 and PFOA/PFOS - but a short 15-gallon filter makes it costly to run.
pfas, chlorine, lead

FAQ

Is Maryland tap water safe to drink?: It meets the legal standards MDE requires of public systems, with two things to keep an eye on: PFAS has been found in most treatment plants the state tested, and disinfection byproducts appear in some city systems. To see how your own water fares against both, your utility's annual report is the place to look.
Does Maryland water have PFAS?: In a lot of places, yes. MDE has detected PFAS in the majority of water treatment plants tested statewide. The encouraging part is that the state isn't ignoring it: it has committed major funding for treatment and is requiring industrial dischargers to cut PFAS by July 2026.
Are there lead pipes in Maryland?: It depends on your system. MDE says the two largest, Baltimore City and WSSC, don't have lead service lines, which covers a lot of residents. Statewide, though, the EPA estimates around 71,000 lead service lines, and many more are still classified as unknown until inventories are finished, so a clean answer for your street may have to wait on that mapping.

Sources

Not sure how to read your local report? See our guide on reading a water quality report.