Hartford
Hartford, CT water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
metropolitan district commission
surface water (rivers/reservoirs) · local government · PWSID CT0640011
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
With about 124,006 residents, Hartford ranks as the 4th-largest city in Connecticut and a mid-sized city. Water in Hartford is sourced chiefly from Connecticut River, reservoirs, and groundwater, the backbone of Connecticut's supply.
The defining water pressure here mirrors the state's: aging infrastructure. Generally water-rich, with periodic regional shortfalls and PFAS detections driving treatment upgrades.
Statewide, Connecticut recycles about 4% of its wastewater with minimal reuse programs. Locally, Hartford faces abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions.
The Connecticut state profile covers the regional supply outlook; the issues below detail what's driving Hartford's water future.
Hartford County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~124,006 (4th-largest in Connecticut)
- Primary sources: Connecticut River, reservoirs, and groundwater
- Drought: abnormally dry to moderate conditions
- State reuse rate: ~4% of wastewater
Statewide drought history
% of Connecticut in severe+ drought (Moderate (D1) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Hartford?
Hartford's largest water system, METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION, serves about 390,887 people. EPA records show 0 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 0 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Hartford get its water?
METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION draws primarily from surface water (rivers/reservoirs), part of Connecticut's supply from Connecticut River, reservoirs, groundwater.
Related water issues
Aging Infrastructure
Much of America's water infrastructure is decades past its design life, leaking trillions of gallons a year and demanding hundreds of billions in reinvestment.
ExplorePFAS Contamination
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances persist in water supplies for decades. New federal limits are forcing utilities nationwide to invest in advanced treatment.
Explore