What was found in Aspen'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 | 640 µg/L 6.4% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: ASPEN CITY OF · 31,100 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 4100 µg/L — STARWOOD METROPOLITAN DISTRICT · 300 people · 2019 | 6/7 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 159 µg/L 1.6% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: ASPEN CITY OF · 31,100 people · 2014
Highest in the city: 1500 µg/L — STARWOOD METROPOLITAN DISTRICT · 300 people · 2016 | 5/7 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 720 µg/L 18% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: ASPEN CITY OF · 31,100 people · 2019 | 6/7 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 49.7 µg/L 2.5% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: ASPEN CITY OF · 31,100 people · 2015
Highest in the city: 97.9 µg/L — WHITE HORSE SPRINGS WD · 70 people · 2017 | 6/7 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 17.84 µg/L 22% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: ASPEN CITY OF · 31,100 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 19.42 µg/L — WHITE HORSE SPRINGS WD · 70 people · 2017 | 7/7 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 16.2 µg/L 54% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Main supplier: ASPEN CITY OF · 31,100 people · 2014 | 6/7 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 14.31 µg/L 24% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: ASPEN CITY OF · 31,100 people · 2019 | 7/7 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 14.24 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ASPEN CITY OF · 31,100 people · 2019 | 6/7 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 9.3 µg/L 0.9% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: ASPEN CITY OF · 31,100 people · 2014 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 0.8750 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ASPEN CITY OF · 31,100 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 7.4 µg/L — WHITE HORSE SPRINGS WD · 70 people · 2017 | 3/7 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 5.18 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: STARWOOD METROPOLITAN DISTRICT · 300 people · 2019 | 3/7 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 5.0535 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ASPEN CITY OF · 31,100 people · 2019 | 4/7 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 0.9600 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ASPEN CITY OF · 31,100 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 4.385 µg/L — STARWOOD METROPOLITAN DISTRICT · 300 people · 2019 | 5/7 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 4.182 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ASPEN CITY OF · 31,100 people · 2019 | 2/7 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 3.68 µg/L 7.4% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Highest in the city: WATER VIEW CONDOMINIUM ASSOC · 30 people · 2017 | 4/7 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 2.7905 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ASPEN CITY OF · 31,100 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 3.2575 µg/L — BRUSH CREEK WD · 516 people · 2019 | 6/7 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 2.18 pCi/L 15% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Main supplier: ASPEN CITY OF · 31,100 people · 2014 | 3/7 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 1.77 µg/L 18% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Highest in the city: WHITE HORSE SPRINGS WD · 70 people · 2017 | 3/7 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 0.7500 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ASPEN CITY OF · 31,100 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 1 µg/L — BRUSH CREEK WD · 516 people · 2019 | 2/7 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 0.8900 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ASPEN CITY OF · 31,100 people · 2019 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| Pentachlorophenol | 0.6040 µg/L 60% of the EPA limit 1 µg/L Highest in the city: PHILLIPS MOBILE HOME PARK · 44 people · 2019 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 0.4900 pCi/L 9.8% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: ASPEN CITY OF · 31,100 people · 2012 | 2/7 | SYR4 |
| Diquat | 0.3000 µg/L 1.5% of the EPA limit 20 µg/L Main supplier: ASPEN CITY OF · 31,100 people · 2017 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| Bhc-Gamma | 0.0300 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 0.2000 µg/L Highest in the city: WATER VIEW CONDOMINIUM ASSOC · 30 people · 2019 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0010 mg/L 6.7% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: ASPEN CITY OF · 31,100 people · 2023
Highest in the city: 0.0039 mg/L — WATER VIEW CONDOMINIUM ASSOC · 30 people · 2025 | 7/7 | 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 Aspen
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| ASPEN CITY OF | 31,100 |
| BRUSH CREEK WD | 516 |
| STARWOOD METROPOLITAN DISTRICT | 300 |
| WHITE HORSE SPRINGS WD | 70 |
| PHILLIPS MOBILE HOME PARK | 44 |
| PITKIN IRON HOA | 41 |
| WATER VIEW CONDOMINIUM ASSOC | 30 |
Frequently asked questions about Aspen tap water
Is Aspen tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 25 contaminants in the water serving Aspen. 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 Aspen?
7 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Aspen, Colorado to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Aspen's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Aspen include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Fluoride, Barium, TTHM. 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.