What was found in Surprise'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 | 4970 µg/L 50% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: EPCOR - AGUA FRIA · 127,718 people · 2019 | 7/9 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 4692.5 µg/L 47% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: EPCOR - AGUA FRIA · 127,718 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 4773.5 µg/L — SURPRISE CITY OF - MOUNTAIN VISTA · 40,007 people · 2019 | 6/9 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 1262.5 µg/L 32% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: EPCOR - AGUA FRIA · 127,718 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 1537 µg/L — SURPRISE CITY OF - MOUNTAIN VISTA · 40,007 people · 2019 | 7/9 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 278 µg/L 21% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: EPCOR - AGUA FRIA · 127,718 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 288 µg/L — PEAK VIEW RANCH · 508 people · 2018 | 7/9 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 130 µg/L 6.5% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: EPCOR - AGUA FRIA · 127,718 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 250 µg/L — DESERT OASIS · 23,963 people · 2019 | 7/9 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 100 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: SURPRISE CITY OF - MOUNTAIN VISTA · 40,007 people · 2019 | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 95.7 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: EPCOR - AGUA FRIA · 127,718 people · 2024 | 4/9 | UCMR-5 |
| TTHM | 86.41 µg/L 108% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 80 µg/L Main supplier: EPCOR - AGUA FRIA · 127,718 people · 2019 | 4/9 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 59.1 µg/L 59% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: EPCOR - AGUA FRIA · 127,718 people · 2019 | 7/9 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 49.2 µg/L 328% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 15 µg/L Main supplier: EPCOR - AGUA FRIA · 127,718 people · 2019 | 5/9 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 28 µg/L 47% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: EPCOR - AGUA FRIA · 127,718 people · 2019 | 4/9 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 19.44 µg/L 0.2% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: SURPRISE CITY OF - MOUNTAIN VISTA · 40,007 people · 2019 | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 14.515 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: DESERT OASIS · 23,963 people · 2019 | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 10.035 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: DESERT OASIS · 23,963 people · 2019 | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 8.6 µg/L 86% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: EPCOR - AGUA FRIA · 127,718 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 9.72 µg/L — TWO TANKS COMMUNITY WELL · 76 people · 2019 | 7/9 | SYR4 |
| Ethylbenzene | 6.92 µg/L 1% of the EPA limit 700 µg/L Highest in the city: SURPRISE CITY OF - MOUNTAIN VISTA · 40,007 people · 2019 | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 6.32 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: DESERT OASIS · 23,963 people · 2019 | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 5.05 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: EPCOR - AGUA FRIA · 127,718 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 6.055 µg/L — SURPRISE CITY OF - MOUNTAIN VISTA · 40,007 people · 2019 | 3/9 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 4.69 pCi/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: SURPRISE CITY OF - MOUNTAIN VISTA · 40,007 people · 2019 | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 4.475 pCi/L 30% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Highest in the city: SURPRISE CITY OF - MOUNTAIN VISTA · 40,007 people · 2019 | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 3.69 µg/L 12% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Highest in the city: SURPRISE CITY OF - MOUNTAIN VISTA · 40,007 people · 2019 | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 2.52 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: DESERT OASIS · 23,963 people · 2019 | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 2.39 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: SURPRISE CITY OF - MOUNTAIN VISTA · 40,007 people · 2019 | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 0.8700 pCi/L 17% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: EPCOR - AGUA FRIA · 127,718 people · 2017
Highest in the city: 1.98 pCi/L — SURPRISE CITY OF - MOUNTAIN VISTA · 40,007 people · 2019 | 4/9 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 1.665 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: DESERT OASIS · 23,963 people · 2019 | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 1.3 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: DESERT OASIS · 23,963 people · 2019 | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| 2,4-D | 0.3200 µg/L 0.5% of the EPA limit 70 µg/L Highest in the city: BEARDSLEY WATER COMPANY 1 · 10,263 people · 2017 | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0 mg/L 0% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: EPCOR - AGUA FRIA · 127,718 people · 2024 | 9/9 | 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 Surprise
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| EPCOR - AGUA FRIA | 127,718 |
| SURPRISE CITY OF - MOUNTAIN VISTA | 40,007 |
| DESERT OASIS | 23,963 |
| BEARDSLEY WATER COMPANY 1 | 10,263 |
| SURPRISE, CITY OF BUENA VISTA | 520 |
| PEAK VIEW RANCH | 508 |
| SAGUARO VIEW MGMT COMPANY | 400 |
| WHITE TANK WELL INC | 87 |
| TWO TANKS COMMUNITY WELL | 76 |
Frequently asked questions about Surprise tap water
Is Surprise tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 28 contaminants in the water serving Surprise. 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 Surprise?
9 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Surprise, Arizona to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Surprise's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Surprise include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Fluoride, Copper, 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.