Wheaton, Maryland
Environmental Quality Report Card
Wheaton reports good air quality, with AQI levels better than the national average. Water tests indicate safe conditions across key measures. Facility compliance with environmental standards is below the national average.
Air Quality (Annual Overview)
Grade AYearly average AQI (2024): 28.2. National average: 41.4. 20 moderate days, 0 unhealthy days recorded.
Water Quality (Key Indicators)
Grade ALatest pH level (2024): 7.7. Ideal range: 6.5–8.5.
Facility Violations
Grade DFacilities like factories and treatment plants had 55 significant and 3186 total violations reported in 2024.
Water Quality (with EPA Standards)
Water quality measurements are provided by the Water Quality Portal , a collaboration between the USGS, EPA, and other agencies.
| Characteristic | Local Value | Safe Range | Grade | Last Measured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turbidity | 1.19 NTU | <5 | A | 1/12/2025 |
| pH | 7.70 | 6.5 - 8.5 | A | 5/4/2025 |
| Fecal Coliform | 675.00 cfu/100mL | <200 | F | 5/4/2025 |
| Nitrate | 1.98 mg/L | <10 | A | 1/12/2025 |
Water Quality (No EPA Standard)
These measurements do not have formal EPA standards but are still important indicators of local water quality.
| Characteristic | Local Value | Unit | Last Measured |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weather condition (WMO code 4501) (choice list) | 4.00 | None | 12/8/2024 |
| Dissolved oxygen (DO) | 8.99 | mg/L | 5/4/2025 |
| Total Phosphorus, mixed forms | 0.03 | mg/L | 9/22/2024 |
| Wind velocity | 11.00 | knots | 6/16/2024 |
| Escherichia coli | 292.00 | cfu/100mL | 5/4/2025 |
| Conductivity | 460.00 | uS/cm | 12/8/2024 |
| Nitrate + Nitrite | 0.01 | mg/L | 9/22/2024 |
| Ammonium | 0.02 | mg/L | 9/22/2024 |
| Wind Condition (choice list) | 1.00 | None | 12/8/2024 |
| Temperature, water | 19.40 | deg C | 5/4/2025 |
| Relative Air Temperature (choice list) | 2.00 | None | 12/8/2024 |
| Salinity | 2.65 | ppth | 1/12/2025 |
| Phaeophytin - Periphyton (attached) | 1.15 | ug/L | 9/22/2024 |
| Total suspended solids | 1.17 | mg/L | 1/12/2025 |
| Chlorophyll a | 23.23 | ug/L | 9/22/2024 |
| Chlorophyll a (probe) | 0.00 | ug/L | 12/8/2024 |
| Total Nitrogen, mixed forms (NH3), (NH4), organic, (NO2) and (NO3) | 0.78 | mg/L | 9/22/2024 |
| Total hardness | 180.00 | mg/L | 12/8/2024 |
| Depth | 0.10 | m | 12/8/2024 |
| Alkalinity, total | 68.60 | mg/L | 1/12/2025 |
| Specific conductance | 291.00 | uS/cm | 5/4/2025 |
| Orthophosphate | 0.09 | mg/L | 9/22/2024 |
| Wind direction (direction from, expressed 0-360 deg) | 225.00 | None | 12/8/2024 |
| Cloud cover | 30.00 | % | 6/16/2024 |
| Phosphorus | 0.03 | mg/L | 1/12/2025 |
| Depth of water column | 3.00 | m | 6/16/2024 |
| Temperature, air | 25.00 | deg C | 6/16/2024 |
| Wave height | 0.09 | m | 6/16/2024 |
| Wave height (WMO code 1555) (choice list) | 0.00 | None | 12/8/2024 |
| Biochemical oxygen demand, standard conditions | 1.50 | mg/L | 12/8/2024 |
| Flow | 0.01 | cfs | 6/16/2024 |
| Enterococcus | 300.00 | cfu/100mL | 5/4/2025 |
| Nitrogen | 2.32 | mg/L | 1/12/2025 |
| Total Coliform | 133.00 | MPN/100mL | 12/8/2024 |
| Total solids | 2850.00 | mg/L | 1/12/2025 |
| Magnesium | 22.80 | mg/L | 1/12/2025 |
| Sodium | 950.00 | mg/L | 1/12/2025 |
| Hardness, Ca, Mg | 268.00 | mg/L | 1/12/2025 |
| Calcium | 71.70 | mg/L | 1/12/2025 |
| Potassium | 8.35 | mg/L | 1/12/2025 |
| Sulfate | 24.00 | mg/L | 1/12/2025 |
| Kjeldahl nitrogen | 0.40 | mg/L | 1/12/2025 |
| Chloride | 1620.00 | mg/L | 1/12/2025 |
Air Quality Details (2024–2025)
The Air Quality Index (AQI) measures how clean or polluted the air is. A lower AQI means cleaner air. Main pollutants include particulate matter like PM2.5, ozone, and others regulated by EPA standards.
Air quality data sourced from OpenAQ, aggregating official monitoring stations.
| Yearly Average AQI | National Average AQI | Good Days | Moderate Days | Unhealthy Days | Worst Day AQI | Top Pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28.2 | 41.4 | 343 | 20 | 0 | 64 (on 12/24/2024) | PM2.5 |
Monthly AQI Trend
Monthly average AQI values over the past year. Lower values are better. Peaks may indicate pollution events.
Facility Compliance
Facility compliance and violation data come from the EPA's ECHO database.
4,478 monitored facilities
Total Violations: 3186
Significant Violations: 55
Total Penalties: $5,985,907
Despite 55 significant violations, Wheaton reported 3,186 total violations across monitored facilities in 2024. This results in a compliance grade of D, reflecting below average adherence to environmental standards compared to national benchmarks.
About the Data
This report uses the latest publicly available environmental data:
- Air Quality: Data sourced from the OpenAQ Platform, aggregating official air quality monitoring stations near Wheaton.
- Water Quality: Measurements from the Water Quality Portal, a collaboration between the USGS, EPA, and other agencies.
- Facility Compliance: Sourced from the EPA's ECHO Database, detailing facility violations, penalties, and compliance rates.
All data is refreshed regularly and reflects the latest available figures for 2024.