What was found in Ketchikan'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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | 298.1 µg/L 23% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: KETCHIKAN PUBLIC UTILITIES · 8,937 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 1972 µg/L — VALLENAR VIEW MOBILE HOME PARK · 225 people · 2019 | 5/7 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 146.7 µg/L 244% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 60 µg/L Main supplier: KETCHIKAN PUBLIC UTILITIES · 8,937 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 704 µg/L — VALLENAR VIEW MOBILE HOME PARK · 225 people · 2019 | 5/7 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 92.49 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: KETCHIKAN PUBLIC UTILITIES · 8,937 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 474 µg/L — VALLENAR VIEW MOBILE HOME PARK · 225 people · 2019 | 5/7 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 51.775 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: KETCHIKAN PUBLIC UTILITIES · 8,937 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 222 µg/L — VALLENAR VIEW MOBILE HOME PARK · 225 people · 2019 | 5/7 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 114 µg/L 1.1% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: KETCHIKAN PUBLIC UTILITIES · 8,937 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 213 µg/L — KASAAN · 66 people · 2018 | 4/7 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 83.485 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: KETCHIKAN PUBLIC UTILITIES · 8,937 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 204.8 µg/L — VALLENAR VIEW MOBILE HOME PARK · 225 people · 2019 | 5/7 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 87.07 µg/L 109% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 80 µg/L Main supplier: KETCHIKAN PUBLIC UTILITIES · 8,937 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 203.55 µg/L — VALLENAR VIEW MOBILE HOME PARK · 225 people · 2019 | 5/7 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 9.335 µg/L 62% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: KETCHIKAN PUBLIC UTILITIES · 8,937 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 14.8 µg/L — SOUTH TONGASS WATER UTILITY · 975 people · 2017 | 5/7 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 1.8 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: KETCHIKAN PUBLIC UTILITIES · 8,937 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 12.3 µg/L — KASAAN · 66 people · 2019 | 5/7 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 10.4 µg/L 0.5% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Highest in the city: PORT PROTECTION · 60 people · 2018 | 2/7 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 5.34 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: KETCHIKAN PUBLIC UTILITIES · 8,937 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 10.025 µg/L — VALLENAR VIEW MOBILE HOME PARK · 225 people · 2019 | 5/7 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 3.045 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: KETCHIKAN PUBLIC UTILITIES · 8,937 people · 2019 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 1.4085 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: KASAAN · 66 people · 2019 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 0.4800 pCi/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: KETCHIKAN PUBLIC UTILITIES · 8,937 people · 2016
Highest in the city: 1.3 pCi/L — KASAAN · 66 people · 2017 | 2/7 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 0.6600 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: SOUTH TONGASS WATER UTILITY · 975 people · 2019 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| Hexachlorocyclopentadiene | 0.3000 µg/L 0.6% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Highest in the city: VALLENAR VIEW MOBILE HOME PARK · 225 people · 2018 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 0.1500 pCi/L 3% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Highest in the city: SOUTH TONGASS WATER UTILITY · 975 people · 2017 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0025 mg/L 17% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: KETCHIKAN PUBLIC UTILITIES · 8,937 people · 2024 | 5/7 | 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 Ketchikan
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| KETCHIKAN PUBLIC UTILITIES | 8,937 |
| SOUTH TONGASS WATER UTILITY | 975 |
| VALLENAR VIEW MOBILE HOME PARK | 225 |
| KETCHIKAN WATER, TRUCK 1 | 100 |
| KASAAN | 66 |
| PORT PROTECTION | 60 |
| KETCHIKAN H2O | 25 |
Frequently asked questions about Ketchikan tap water
Is Ketchikan tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 18 contaminants in the water serving Ketchikan. 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 Ketchikan?
7 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Ketchikan, Alaska to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Ketchikan's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Ketchikan include Copper, Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Trichloroacetic Acid, Dichloroacetic Acid, Nitrate-Nitrite. 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.