Water Purification & Distribution

Consumer Confidence Report 2024

FACTS About PFAS 

Frederick County is dedicated to protecting public health and safety by supplying safe, clean and reliable water to our customers and we support the EPA’s efforts to safeguard public drinking water supplies by addressing emerging contaminants like PFAS compounds. 

Overview:

PFAS are a group of over 6,000 man-made chemicals that have been manufactured and used in home consumer products such as carpets, clothing, food packaging, and cookware since the 1940s. Two of these compounds—Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)—have been the most extensively produced and studied, and there is evidence that exposure to elevated levels of PFAS can lead to adverse health outcomes in humans.

Water utilities are “passive receivers” of PFAS.  They do not produce or manufacture PFAS. Instead, these chemicals are present in source waters that are treated to produce drinking water. 

On April 10, 2024, EPA finalized a National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) establishing legally enforceable levels, called Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), for six PFAS in drinking water. PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, and HFPO-DA as contaminants with individual MCLs, and PFAS mixtures containing at least two or more of PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA, and PFBS using a Hazard Index MCL to account for the combined and co-occurring levels of these PFAS in drinking water. 

EPA also finalized health-based, non-enforceable Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs) for these PFAS.

The new enforceable standards are listed in the table below.  

The final rule requires:

Frederick County has been providing PFAS information and level for each water system in our Annual Water Quality Reports since 2022.

We are evaluating the EPA’s Final PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation published April 10, 2024, and preparing to update all needed operating procedures to ensure we meet EPA requirements for these updated regulatory standards.

Frederick County has been working with the Maryland Department of Environment to gather PFAS information on both source water and treated water since 2021. See the Frederick County Treated Water PFAS Test Results for more information. 

Frederick County’s Next Steps

• We are following the guidance of EPA and MDE.
• If treatment process changes are necessary, we will make them.
• We will continue regular testing of finished water at every county owned Water Treatment facility. 
• Should testing reveal the presence of PFAS compounds at or exceeding the MCLs in finished water, we will upgrade treatment processes as required. 

Advice for Customers to Reduce Exposure to PFAS - Drinking Water is just one pathway for exposure

• Support efforts to protect drinking water sources and keep PFAS out of water supplies.
• Install a treatment process where the water enters the home.  EPA recommends Activated Carbon, Ion Exchange, or High-pressure Membrane treatment.
• Cook with stainless steel, cast-iron, glass, or ceramics. 
• Read ingredient lists and choose products without PTFE or perfluoro- or polyfluor-.
• Look for coats, hats, and boots labeled water-resistant. They’re less likely to have PFAS than waterproof products.
• Make popcorn on the stove or in an air popper instead of microwave bags.
• Avoid ordering food in grease-resistant wrappers or containers.

 Additional Resources:

• EPA’s PFAS Information:  https://www.epa.gov/pfas
• Maryland Department of Environment PFAS—Information on the Maryland Department of the Environment’s efforts to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Maryland’s Drinking Water Sources
• Center for Disease Control (CDC):  https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas 

• American Water Works Association (AWWA):  https://drinktap.org/Water-Info/Whats-in-My-Water/Per-and-Polyfluoroalkyl-Substances
• Environment Protection Agency:  www.epa.gov/sciencematters/reducing-pfas-drinking-water-treatment-technologies

Water Treatment Plant Information

Request a Fire Hydrant Flow Test
Please complete the online Request for Fire Hydrant Flow Test. Your submission will be reviewed and you will be contacted with information about the processing of your request.

Bulk Water Pamphlet

Fluoridated Water Systems

The New Design System is fluoridated and supplies these communities and/or subdivisions:

• Adamstown
• Adamstown Commons
• Aspen
• Audubon
• Baldwin Estates
• Ballenger Creek Meadows
• Ballenger Crossing
• Balmoral
• Brinkley Manor
• Buckinghams Choice
• Canal Run
• Castle Hill
• Coldstream
• Countryside
• Crestwood Village
• Evergreen Point
• Fairwinds
• Farmbrook
• Foxcroft
• FSK Mall
•  Green Hill Manor
• Greens
• Greenview
• Hannover
• Holly Hills
• Jefferson Tech Park
• Jug Bridge
• Kingsbrook
• Lake Anita Louise
• Lake Linganore
• Landsdale
• Linton Farm
• Manors at Ballenger
• Meadows
• Meadows at New Market
• Mountain Village
• New Market West
• Nightingale
• North Shore
• Orchard at New Market
• Oxford Estates
• Pinecliff
• Pinehurst
• Point of Rocks
• Preston
• River Oaks
• Robin Meadows
• Royal Oaks
• Saddle Ridge
• Sponsellers Addition
• Spring Ridge
• Stonebridge
• Stuart Mechanic
• Summerfield
• Supply to Barren
• Town of New Market (portions)
• Train Station Overlook
• Urbana Greens
• Urbana Highlands
• Villages of Urbana
• Wellington Trace
• Westview Park
• Westwinds
• Whispering Creek
• Winding Ridge
• Woodlands
• Woodridge
• Woodspring
• Yeagerstown 

Fluoridated small water systems supply the following communities and/or subdivisions:

• Bradford Estates
• Cambridge Farms
• Clover Hill III
• Knolls of  Windsor
• Samhill Estates including Harvest Ridge
• Waterside

DWSU Lead and Copper Monitoring Summary

Assessments
The Maryland Department of the Environment has completed source-water assessments for each of the County’s water supplies. These assessments are used to implement source-water protection plans, which identify and prevent potential sources of contamination from entering your drinking water supply.

Plants
Click on the plant name below for more information: 

• Bradford Estates Water Treatment Plant 
• Cambridge Farms Water Treatment Plant   
• Copperfield Water Treatment Plant 
• Fountaindale Water Treatment Plant 
• Lake Linganore Water Treatment Plant 
• Libertytown Apartments Water Treatment Plant 
• Libertytown East Water Treatment Plant 
• New Design Water Treatment Plant 
• Mill Bottom Water Treatment Plant 
• White Rock Water Treatment Plant 
• Windsor Knolls Water Treatment Plant

Frozen Pipes - The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments has information on preventing this from happening in your home on their Protect Your Pipes web page.

Responsibilities

The Water Purification/Distribution Department is responsible for the operation of the County's water treatment plants and distribution systems.  

The County's primary water treatment facilities are staffed 24 hours per day, 7 day per week. Smaller satellite facilities are staffed to provide operator attention several hours per day, 7 days per week.  

This Department's certified operators provide routine daily operation of the County's water supply infrastructure to ensure that customers of the County's Public water systems receive water that continually complies with Federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requirements.

Search Lead Service Line Inventory here

Information

On December 27, 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the Fifth Unregulated Contaminated Monitoring Rule regulation (UCMR 5) in the Federal Register.  This regulation requires the New Design water system to collect quarterly samples during the 2025 calendar year.  These samples will satisfy the requirements of the UCMR 5 and provide the EPA with new data to improve their understanding of the frequency and levels of lithium, and 29 per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found in the nation’s drinking water systems.  

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