Charles, MD
Transparent derived index from EPA TRI / SDWIS / Superfund extracts: not an official EPA rating. Fixed caps: facilities ≤25 pts (50+ = max), log10 releases ≤25 pts, Superfund ≤25 pts (5/site), health-violation systems ≤15 pts (3/system), high-chemical facilities ≤10 pts. Bands: High ≥60, Moderate ≥30. See methodology.
Environmental data for Charles in Maryland · Population: 168,710
TRI sites such as Morgantown Power LLC; U.S. Navy Naval Support Facility Indian Head; Waldorf Plant; SDWIS systems such as TOWN OF LA PLATA; TOWN OF INDIAN HEAD; NAVAL SUPPORT FACILITY, INDIAN HEAD; NPL sites such as Indian Head Naval Surface Warfare Center anchor Charles, MD's EPA extract. Derived burden score 43/100 (Moderate Risk) uses fixed national caps on density, log release volume, Superfund count, and health-flagged systems - not an official EPA rating.
Health-flagged SDWIS rows in Charles include DU MAR ESTATES WATER COMPANY; POMFRET ESTATES - UTILCO, INC.; TURKEY HILL WATER COMPANY, while Morgantown Power LLC leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. AQS median AQI 40 / peak 119 in 2024.
Burden score 43/100 (Moderate Risk) is the only weighted composite on this page. The tables below list every TRI facility, SDWIS system, and Superfund site EPA has on record for Charles -- not just the names called out above -- reproducing the disclosure history as filed, not a current-safety verdict. Extract current as of 2026-08-25.
Release-over-release change
What changed for Charles, MD: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year
Same facilities, both years
-68.6%
3 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023
Whole inventory
-88.6%
255.1 thousand lb → 29.1 thousand lb, every facility that filed
Between the two reporting years, 0 facilities filed for the first time and 2 stopped filing. Facilities entering or leaving the inventory are excluded from the same-facility comparison above.
- Charles, MD's total reported releases fell from 92.7 thousand lb in 2022 to 29.1 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Charles, MD's off-site transfers fell from 88.7 thousand lb in 2022 to 25.6 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Charles, MD's water releases fell from 4.0 thousand lb in 2022 to 3.5 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
Air Quality History (2020–2024)
EPA Air Quality Index (AQI) data showing how many days per year fall into each air quality category.
| Year | Good | Moderate | Unhealthy (SG) | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 209 (90%) | 21 | 2 | 119 |
| 2023 | 199 (82%) | 42 | 2 | 115 |
| 2022 | 225 (92%) | 20 | 0 | 87 |
| 2021 | 215 (89%) | 26 | 1 | 105 |
| 2020 | 235 (100%) | 1 | 0 | 58 |
Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County AQI categories: Good (0-50), Moderate (51-100), Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150), Unhealthy (151-200), Very Unhealthy (201-300), Hazardous (301+)
For real-time air quality readings and pollutant breakdowns in Maryland, see the EPA's AirNow.gov.
Water Systems (36)
| System | System pop (SDWIS) | Violations |
|---|---|---|
| TOWN OF LA PLATA | 11,535 | 0 |
| TOWN OF INDIAN HEAD | 4,100 | 0 |
| NAVAL SUPPORT FACILITY, INDIAN HEAD | 3,321 | 0 |
| POTOMAC HEIGHTS | 1,800 | 0 |
| CHARLES COUNTY GARDENS WATER | 551 | 0 |
| KINGS MANOR - WHITE PLAINS WATER CO, INC | 372 | 0 |
| CALVERT BEACH - DECATUR STREET | 350 | 0 |
| POMUNK WATER COMPANY DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM | 340 | 0 |
| CHAPEL POINT WDS/ JUDE HOUSE/ COMM CTR | 280 | 0 |
| AQUALAND CAMPGROUND | 240 | 0 |
| ELLENWOOD | 229 | 0 |
| WESTERN SHORES | 200 | 0 |
| RED HILL WATER COMPANY, INC. | 200 | 0 |
| MARIELLEN PARK | 184 | 0 |
| OAK HILL WATER COMPANY, LLC | 180 | 0 |
| NEWTOWN VILLAGE | 170 | 0 |
| DU MAR ESTATES WATER COMPANY | 150 | 1 |
| POMFRET ESTATES - UTILCO, INC. | 150 | 1 |
| TURKEY HILL WATER COMPANY | 150 | 2 |
| MOUNT PLEASANT WATER CO., INC. | 150 | 2 |
| PINE HILL WATER COMPANY | 140 | 0 |
| TRIMAC WATER COMPANY - FOREST PARK | 139 | 0 |
| GREEN MEADOWS WATER COMPANY | 132 | 0 |
| POMONKEY WATER COMPANY - FORD HEIGHTS | 125 | 0 |
| NEWTOWN ESTATES - TIP HILL WATER CO. | 110 | 0 |
| CALVERT BEACH / FOREST TRAIL | 100 | 0 |
| INDEPENDENCE VILLAGE | 88 | 3 |
| BELLEWOOD WATER ASSOCIATION | 75 | 1 |
| SOUTHVIEW WISE | 61 | 0 |
| HAWTHORNE WATER SUPPLY, INC | 60 | 0 |
| THUNDERBIRD MOTEL | 60 | 2 |
| GARDEN ESTATES CENTRAL WATER | 55 | 1 |
| PARKWAY SUBDIVISION WATER COMPANY | 50 | 0 |
| WEST WHITE PLAINS | 50 | 0 |
| MATTHEWS MANOR | 45 | 0 |
| THUNDERBIRD APARTMENTS | 40 | 2 |
TRI Facilities (5)
| # | Facility | Total Releases |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Morgantown Power LLC | 731.2K lbs |
| 2 | U.S. Navy Naval Support Facility Indian Head | 250.5K lbs |
| 3 | Waldorf Plant | 2.1K lbs |
| 4 | Smo Bryans Road Plant | 0 lbs |
| 5 | Smo la Plata Plant | 0 lbs |
Superfund Sites (1)
| Site Name | Status | HRS Score |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Head Naval Surface Warfare Center | NPL Site | 50.00 |
Cities in Charles (7)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the environmental risk level in Charles, Maryland? ▼
Are there Superfund sites in Charles? ▼
How many toxic release facilities are in Charles? ▼
What is the air quality in Charles? ▼
Is the drinking water safe in Charles? ▼
What environmental agencies cover Charles? ▼
What does this county environmental profile show?
This county environmental profile rolls up EPA Toxics Release Inventory facility reports, Safe Drinking Water Information System public-water-system filings, and Superfund National Priorities List sites for the county boundary defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Facility counts reflect facilities with a reporting address inside the county, not where downstream environmental effects may be observed. Population figures are from the most recent Census ACS 5-year estimate. The county detail page is updated whenever the upstream EPA programs publish revised data; see the methodology page for the documented ingest cadence and the editorial choices governing how aggregations are computed.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.