What was found in Anchorage's water
The level at the city's main supplier, the highest level anywhere in the city, the EPA limit for each, and where every figure comes from.
| Contaminant | Level vs EPA limit | Suppliers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 1477.5 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 9577.5 µg/L — SUN VALLEY HEIGHTS SOUTH · 34 people · 2019 | 29/46 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate | 1576 µg/L 16% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 5440 µg/L — GREENBROOK S/D · 123 people · 2017 | 12/46 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 89.1 µg/L 6.9% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 1400 µg/L — ALPINE WOODS WATER SYSTEM · 200 people · 2019 | 45/46 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 615.4 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2019 | 2/46 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 90.1 µg/L 4.5% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2019 | 24/46 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 10.9 µg/L 18% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 52.75 µg/L — SOUTHWOOD MANOR TC · 1,005 people · 2019 | 4/46 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 22.7 µg/L 28% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 50.555 µg/L — SOUTHWOOD MANOR TC · 1,005 people · 2019 | 7/46 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 20.975 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 43.25 µg/L — SOUTHWOOD MANOR TC · 1,005 people · 2019 | 9/46 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 3.4175 µg/L 23% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 28.96 µg/L — EAGLECREST CONDOS ASSN. · 120 people · 2019 | 42/46 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 3.83 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 25.15 µg/L — SOUTHWOOD MANOR TC · 1,005 people · 2019 | 4/46 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 6.944 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 25.1 µg/L — SOUTHWOOD MANOR TC · 1,005 people · 2019 | 5/46 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 2.172 µg/L 22% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 18.26 µg/L — TOTEM TRAILER TOWN TC · 480 people · 2019 | 25/46 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 5.6485 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 7.5 µg/L — SOUTHWOOD MANOR TC · 1,005 people · 2019 | 2/46 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 1.1 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 7.195 µg/L — SOUTHWOOD MANOR TC · 1,005 people · 2019 | 6/46 | SYR4 |
| Styrene | 6.36 µg/L 6.4% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Highest in the city: MANOOGS ISLE MOBILE HOME PARK · 935 people · 2019 | 1/46 | SYR4 |
| Cyanide | 6.3 µg/L 3.2% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2019 | 1/46 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 6.1 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: UNIFIED ALASKAN UTILITIES MOOREHAND DIV. · 350 people · 2019 | 2/46 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 0.8200 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 2.88 µg/L — GLENCAREN COURT · 828 people · 2019 | 5/46 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 1.868 µg/L 1.9% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 2.65 µg/L — HOMESTEAD HILLS · 50 people · 2019 | 6/46 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 1.901 µg/L 3.8% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2019 | 2/46 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 1.5 pCi/L 30% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 1.6 pCi/L — SPRING FOREST HOMEOWNERS ASSN. · 94 people · 2019 | 4/46 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 1.50125 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: SUN VALLEY HEIGHTS NORTH · 51 people · 2017 | 1/46 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 1.2 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2019 | 2/46 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 1.2 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2019 | 2/46 | SYR4 |
| Dichloromethane | 1.19 µg/L 24% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Highest in the city: COUNTRY LANE APARTMENTS · 60 people · 2019 | 2/46 | SYR4 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | 0.6900 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Highest in the city: SNOWCREST VIEW SOUTH · 25 people · 2019 | 1/46 | SYR4 |
| Beryllium, Total | 0.3010 µg/L 7.5% of the EPA limit 4 µg/L Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2019 | 1/46 | SYR4 |
| Antimony, Total | 0.1821 µg/L 3% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2019 | 1/46 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0 mg/L 0% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2024
Highest in the city: 0.0299 mg/L — SNOWCREST VIEW SOUTH · 25 people · 2025 | 46/46 | LCR |
| PFHXS | 0.0112 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2023 | 1/46 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOA | 0.0091 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MOA MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE · 221,351 people · 2023 | 1/46 | UCMR-5 |
Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is
well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the
limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there
means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a
running annual average while the figure is the 95th percentile of the
system's samples — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a
violation.
Formal violations are listed separately.
These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide
average. A detection means the lab measured the
substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source
tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.
Water suppliers serving Anchorage
Frequently asked questions about Anchorage tap water
Is Anchorage tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 31 contaminants in the water serving Anchorage. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.
How many water suppliers serve Anchorage?
46 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Anchorage, Alaska to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Anchorage's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Anchorage include Nitrate-Nitrite, Nitrate, Copper, Fluoride, Barium. The full list, with the level at the main supplier and the data source, is in the table above.
Where does this data come from?
Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.