Is Homer, AK Tap Water Safe? Quality & Contaminants

What was found in Homer'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	4700 µg/L 47% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: KACHEMAK SELO #3 · 150 people · 2019	1/4	SYR4
Nitrate-Nitrite	356 µg/L 3.6% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: HOMER WATER SYSTEM · 7,008 people · 2019 Highest in the city: 2170 µg/L — KACHEMAK SELO #3 · 150 people · 2019	2/4	SYR4
Copper	232.25 µg/L 18% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: HOMER WATER SYSTEM · 7,008 people · 2017	2/4	SYR4
TTHM	95.415 µg/L 119% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 80 µg/L Main supplier: HOMER WATER SYSTEM · 7,008 people · 2019	2/4	SYR4
Chloroform	84.945 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: HOMER WATER SYSTEM · 7,008 people · 2019	2/4	SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	62.6 µg/L 104% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 60 µg/L Main supplier: HOMER WATER SYSTEM · 7,008 people · 2019	2/4	SYR4
Barium	41.4 µg/L 2.1% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Highest in the city: KACHEMAK SELO #3 · 150 people · 2019	1/4	SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid	40 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: HOMER WATER SYSTEM · 7,008 people · 2019	2/4	SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid	24 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: HOMER WATER SYSTEM · 7,008 people · 2019	2/4	SYR4
Lead	12.64 µg/L 84% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: HOMER WATER SYSTEM · 7,008 people · 2017	2/4	SYR4
Bromodichloromethane	10.47 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: HOMER WATER SYSTEM · 7,008 people · 2019	2/4	SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid	8.4 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: HOMER WATER SYSTEM · 7,008 people · 2019	2/4	SYR4
Arsenic	0.2210 µg/L 2.2% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: HOMER WATER SYSTEM · 7,008 people · 2012 Highest in the city: 6.71 µg/L — KACHEMAK SELO #3 · 150 people · 2019	2/4	SYR4
Chromium	3.55 µg/L 3.6% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Highest in the city: KACHEMAK SELO #3 · 150 people · 2019	1/4	SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid	3.4 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: HOMER WATER SYSTEM · 7,008 people · 2019	2/4	SYR4
Dibromochloromethane	2.105 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: HOMER WATER SYSTEM · 7,008 people · 2019 Highest in the city: 3.034 µg/L — QUICKDRAW H2O · 100 people · 2019	2/4	SYR4
Bromoform	2.358 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: QUICKDRAW H2O · 100 people · 2019	1/4	SYR4
Combined Radium (-226 And -228)	0.2200 pCi/L 4.4% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Highest in the city: KACHEMAK SELO #3 · 150 people · 2016	1/4	SYR4
Lead	0.0020 mg/L 13% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: HOMER WATER SYSTEM · 7,008 people · 2023	2/4	LCR

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 Homer

Supplier	Population served
HOMER WATER SYSTEM	7,008
KACHEMAK SELO #3	150
QUICKDRAW H2O	100
HOMERUN OIL CO. WATER HAULER	100

Frequently asked questions about Homer tap water

Is Homer tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 19 contaminants in the water serving Homer. 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 Homer?

4 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Homer, Alaska to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.

What contaminants are in Homer's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Homer include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Copper, TTHM, Chloroform. 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.