Silver Spring, MD tap water: what’s in it in 2026
Reviewed by Joe Letorney, 30-year water treatment expert · Former WQA Certified Water Treatment Specialist (CWS), Level VI
See best water filters for lead removal and what filters remove PFAS.
Serving 82K residents via Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC Water) · Silver Spring, MD drinking water is supplied by Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC Water). EPA and public water system monitoring commonly focus on issues such as Disinfection byproducts, PFAS monitoring, Lead in older home plumbing. Silver Spring is on the same WSSC system serving Montgomery County suburbs from Potomac and Patuxent sources. Use the ZIP tool to see system-level EPA data and certified filter recommendations for your address.
Check water hardness in Silver Spring →
WaterCheckup Safety Score — an independent index from EPA public data and our formula. Not your utility’s official water quality rating, an EPA compliance grade, or a test of water at your tap. How we score →
Silver Spring water currently shows no major violations in EPA monitoring data. That said, your home's internal plumbing can add lead or other contaminants after water leaves the treatment plant — especially in homes built before 1986.
Silver Springwater may meet federal EPA limits while still showing contaminants above independent health guidelines (EWG, state advisories). EPA MCLs are often set on treatment feasibility — not a "zero risk" threshold. Compare levels below to health guidelines and state/U.S. utility averages, then see which filter technologies address your profile.
EPA UCMR5 PFAS plus utility/EWG averages from our contaminant bundle. Run a ZIP report for live SDWIS samples at your address.
EWG health guideline: 0.15 ppb
EWG Tap Water Atlas utility average (2021–2023) · U.S. utility avg (EWG Atlas sample): 30.97 ppb · MD utility avg: 51.43 ppb
Removes with: RO · Carbon
EWG health guideline: 0.06 ppb (HAA5)
EWG Tap Water Atlas utility average (2021–2023) · U.S. utility avg (EWG Atlas sample): 21.57 ppb · MD utility avg: 32.43 ppb
Removes with: RO · Carbon
From WSSC Water CCR 2024
Removes with: RO · Ion exchange
EWG Tap Water Atlas utility average (2021–2023) · U.S. utility avg (EWG Atlas sample): 23.64 ppb · MD utility avg: 34.80 ppb
Removes with: RO · Carbon
EWG health guideline: 700 ppb
EWG Tap Water Atlas utility average (2021–2023) · U.S. utility avg (EWG Atlas sample): 43.45 ppb · MD utility avg: 35.90 ppb
Removes with: RO · Carbon · Ion exchange
EWG health guideline: 100 ppb
Long-term exposure at high levels may affect the nervous system. Staining and taste issues at lower levels.
Removes with: RO · Carbon
EWG Tap Water Atlas utility average (2021–2023) · U.S. utility avg (EWG Atlas sample): 17.82 ppb · MD utility avg: 19.80 ppb
Removes with: RO · Carbon
Can impair thyroid function — most concerning during pregnancy and childhood.
Removes with: RO · Carbon
PFAS (“forever chemicals”) persist in the body. NSF 58 reverse osmosis or NSF P473-certified filters remove PFAS at the tap — standard pitchers do not.
Removes with: RO · Carbon
EWG health guideline: 0.06 ppb
THM component linked to cancer and reproductive harm with long-term exposure.
Removes with: RO · Carbon
EWG health guideline: 0.02 ppb
EWG Tap Water Atlas utility average (2021–2023) · U.S. utility avg (EWG Atlas sample): 3.86 ppb
Removes with: RO · Carbon
PFAS (“forever chemicals”) persist in the body. NSF 58 reverse osmosis or NSF P473-certified filters remove PFAS at the tap — standard pitchers do not.
Removes with: RO · Carbon
EWG Tap Water Atlas utility average (2021–2023) · U.S. utility avg (EWG Atlas sample): 3.00 ppt · MD utility avg: 1.88 ppt
Removes with: RO
EWG Tap Water Atlas utility average (2021–2023) · U.S. utility avg (EWG Atlas sample): 2.85 ppt · MD utility avg: 1.26 ppt
Removes with: RO
EWG health guideline: 0.1 ppb
THM component linked to cancer and harm to fetal development.
Removes with: RO · Carbon
EWG Tap Water Atlas utility average (2021–2023) · U.S. utility avg (EWG Atlas sample): 1.04 ppm · MD utility avg: 1.23 ppm
Removes with: RO · Carbon
EWG health guideline: 0.14 ppm
EWG Tap Water Atlas utility average (2021–2023) · U.S. utility avg (EWG Atlas sample): 1.10 ppm · MD utility avg: 1.14 ppm
Removes with: RO
EWG Tap Water Atlas utility average (2021–2023) · U.S. utility avg (EWG Atlas sample): 0.49 ppm · MD utility avg: 0.66 ppm
Removes with: RO · Ion exchange
U.S. and state averages from EWG Tap Water Atlas utilities in our database. For your exact tap, use a ZIP report — home plumbing can differ from utility averages.
Silver Spring is on WSSC Water, drawing from the Potomac and Patuxent rivers like other Montgomery County suburbs.
DBPs can vary with water age in distribution; taste/odor changes often track seasonal source and treatment shifts.
PFAS was included in EPA UCMR5 monitoring for WSSC — filter at the tap if you want coverage beyond legal compliance.
Pre-1986 homes should treat lead risk as a building plumbing issue even when WSSC meets EPA limits at the plant.
Source: EPA UCMR5 national monitoring dataset · Testing period 2023–2025 · MCL = Maximum Contaminant Level (legally enforceable limit) · Health limit = EPA health advisory threshold
Reference matrix — not specific brands. NSF-certified carbon blocks, reverse osmosis (NSF 58), and ion-exchange softeners address different contaminants. Product picks below match this profile.
Silver Springutility data is a strong baseline — but lead often comes from your home's pipes, and PFAS can vary by neighborhood. Choose certified lab testing for certainty, or skip straight to NSF-certified filters matched to this profile.
SimpleLab Tap Score mail-in panels test PFAS, lead, nitrates, bacteria, and 100+ contaminants at your kitchen tap. Results in about a week — then pick filtration with real numbers, not guesses.
Tap Score City Test — from $89 →Accredited labs · Best if you have old plumbing, pregnancy, or want proof before installing RO
Get NSF 58 / NSF 53 picks matched to Silver Spring's PFAS, lead, and disinfection byproduct profile — reviewed by a 30-year water treatment expert.
Take the 3-question filter quiz →Best when contaminants are already flagged above and you want the right RO or pitcher today
Certified Filter Recommendations
Matched to what's actually in your water
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is Silver Spring, MD tap water safe to drink?
Yes. Silver Spring is served by WSSC Water, the same regional utility covering most of Montgomery County, and its water meets all federal EPA legal limits. As with other WSSC communities, legal compliance doesn't guarantee zero health concerns — EPA limits reflect treatment feasibility more than the lowest level independent researchers might recommend.
Where does Silver Spring's water come from?
Silver Spring is part of the WSSC Water system, drawing primarily from the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers, the same source shared across Montgomery and Prince George's counties. Water quality is broadly consistent across the WSSC service area; the biggest household-level variable is usually plumbing age rather than the treated water itself.
Does Silver Spring have older homes with lead risk?
Silver Spring has a notably mixed housing stock, with many homes built well before the 1986 nationwide ban on lead pipes and solder. If your home is older, lead can leach into water from internal plumbing even though WSSC's treated water meets federal lead standards at the source. A home lead test or certified filter is worth considering for pre-1986 homes.
Does Silver Spring have hard water?
Silver Spring's water hardness tracks with the broader WSSC service area, since it shares the same Potomac/Patuxent source water as neighboring Montgomery County communities. A home water test can confirm your specific hardness level, as local distribution and plumbing can cause some variation.
Is there PFAS in Silver Spring's water?
Silver Spring falls under the same UCMR5 PFAS monitoring as the rest of the WSSC service area. Households wanting protection beyond current compliance levels commonly use an NSF/ANSI 53 or 58-certified filter rated for PFAS removal.
As of October 2024, all US public water systems must publish a public inventory of their lead service lines — the pipes connecting the water main to your home. Even if your public water system water tests clean at the treatment plant, lead can leach from these pipes into your tap. Homes built before 1986 are most at risk.
We'll notify you when new PFAS data, EPA violations, or contamination alerts drop for Silver Spring. One email, no spam, unsubscribe any time.
City-wide data is just the start. Enter your ZIP to see your exact water system's EPA report, PFAS levels, and violation history — then get the right filter for your home.
Fix My Water — Free →RELATED GUIDES
WATER QUALITY IN NEARBY CITIES
Water public water system operators: Publish your official CCR on WaterCheckup free →
Reviewed by Joe Letorney, 30-year water treatment expert · Former WQA Certified Water Treatment Specialist (CWS), Level VI