Is Cortez, CO Tap Water Safe? Quality & Contaminants

What was found in Cortez'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
Barium	96.5 µg/L 4.8% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: CORTEZ CITY OF · 8,770 people · 2016	1/5	SYR4
TTHM	85.4 µg/L 107% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 80 µg/L Main supplier: CORTEZ CITY OF · 8,770 people · 2019	2/5	SYR4
Chloroform	68.04 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CORTEZ CITY OF · 8,770 people · 2018	1/5	SYR4
Nitrate-Nitrite	61.4 µg/L 0.6% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: CORTEZ CITY OF · 8,770 people · 2019	1/5	SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	47.54 µg/L 79% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: CORTEZ CITY OF · 8,770 people · 2019	2/5	SYR4
Nitrate	39 µg/L 0.4% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: CORTEZ CITY OF · 8,770 people · 2019	1/5	SYR4
Nitrite	36 µg/L 3.6% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: CORTEZ CITY OF · 8,770 people · 2019	1/5	SYR4
Lithium	25 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CORTEZ CITY OF · 8,770 people · 2023	1/5	UCMR-5
Trichloroacetic Acid	23.82 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CORTEZ CITY OF · 8,770 people · 2018	1/5	SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid	22.45 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CORTEZ CITY OF · 8,770 people · 2018	1/5	SYR4
Bromodichloromethane	9.46 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CORTEZ CITY OF · 8,770 people · 2018	1/5	SYR4
Chromium	6.3 µg/L 6.3% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: CORTEZ CITY OF · 8,770 people · 2016	1/5	SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid	1.82 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CORTEZ CITY OF · 8,770 people · 2018	1/5	SYR4
Selenium	1.2 µg/L 2.4% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: CORTEZ CITY OF · 8,770 people · 2016	1/5	SYR4
Dalapon	1.19 µg/L 0.6% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Main supplier: CORTEZ CITY OF · 8,770 people · 2019	1/5	SYR4
Dibromochloromethane	1.14 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CORTEZ CITY OF · 8,770 people · 2018	1/5	SYR4
Lead	0.0022 mg/L 15% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: CORTEZ CITY OF · 8,770 people · 2025	5/5	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 Cortez

Supplier	Population served
CORTEZ CITY OF	8,770
MONTEZUMA CNTY WD NO 1	490
OAK MEADOWS MHP	200
VISTA VERDE VILLAGE	200
NEIGHBORS OF 7TH STREET MHP	96

Frequently asked questions about Cortez tap water

Is Cortez tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 17 contaminants in the water serving Cortez. 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 Cortez?

5 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Cortez, Colorado to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.

What contaminants are in Cortez's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Cortez include Barium, TTHM, Chloroform, Nitrate-Nitrite, Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5). 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.