What was found in Pagosa Springs'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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fluoride | 300 µg/L 7.5% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: PAGOSA AREA WSD · 11,069 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 2587 µg/L — ASPEN SPRINGS MD · 290 people · 2019 | 5/5 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate | 400 µg/L 4% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: PAGOSA AREA WSD · 11,069 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 2300 µg/L — SAN JUAN RIVER VILLAGE MD · 877 people · 2019 | 5/5 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 100 µg/L 1% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: PAGOSA AREA WSD · 11,069 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 309.5 µg/L — ALPINE LAKES RANCH WC · 158 people · 2019 | 4/5 | SYR4 |
| Chlorite | 248 µg/L 25% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: PAGOSA AREA WSD · 11,069 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 57.6 µg/L 2.9% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: PAGOSA AREA WSD · 11,069 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 182.8 µg/L — ALPINE LAKES RANCH WC · 158 people · 2019 | 5/5 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 130 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAGOSA AREA WSD · 11,069 people · 2025 | 2/5 | UCMR-5 |
| TTHM | 74.3 µg/L 93% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: PAGOSA AREA WSD · 11,069 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 77.6 µg/L — NAVAJO RIVER RANCH POA · 40 people · 2019 | 4/5 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 37.45 µg/L 62% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: PAGOSA AREA WSD · 11,069 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 72.73 µg/L — NAVAJO RIVER RANCH POA · 40 people · 2019 | 4/5 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 52.85 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAGOSA AREA WSD · 11,069 people · 2019 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 1.1 µg/L 1.1% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: PAGOSA AREA WSD · 11,069 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 34.425 µg/L — ALPINE LAKES RANCH WC · 158 people · 2019 | 5/5 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 26.5 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAGOSA AREA WSD · 11,069 people · 2019 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 15.5 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAGOSA AREA WSD · 11,069 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 16.3 µg/L — NAVAJO RIVER RANCH POA · 40 people · 2018 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 13 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAGOSA AREA WSD · 11,069 people · 2019 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 11.25 µg/L 23% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Highest in the city: ALPINE LAKES RANCH WC · 158 people · 2019 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 9.57 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: ASPEN SPRINGS MD · 290 people · 2019 | 2/5 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 8.79 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAGOSA AREA WSD · 11,069 people · 2019 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 3.12 pCi/L 21% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Main supplier: PAGOSA AREA WSD · 11,069 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 6.95 pCi/L — ALPINE LAKES RANCH WC · 158 people · 2019 | 5/5 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 5.06 pCi/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: ALPINE LAKES RANCH WC · 158 people · 2015 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 1.195 µg/L 12% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: PAGOSA AREA WSD · 11,069 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 3.725 µg/L — ALPINE LAKES RANCH WC · 158 people · 2019 | 4/5 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 3.27 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAGOSA AREA WSD · 11,069 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Antimony, Total | 2.495 µg/L 42% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Highest in the city: ALPINE LAKES RANCH WC · 158 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 2.4775 pCi/L 50% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: PAGOSA AREA WSD · 11,069 people · 2019 | 5/5 | SYR4 |
| Bromate | 2.38 µg/L 24% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Highest in the city: ALPINE LAKES RANCH WC · 158 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 2.365 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAGOSA AREA WSD · 11,069 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Ethylbenzene | 1.6 µg/L 0.2% of the EPA limit 700 µg/L Highest in the city: ASPEN SPRINGS MD · 290 people · 2019 | 2/5 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 1.42 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: SAN JUAN RIVER VILLAGE MD · 877 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 1.2 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAGOSA AREA WSD · 11,069 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Thallium, Total | 1.2 µg/L 60% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Main supplier: PAGOSA AREA WSD · 11,069 people · 2019 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 0.1280 µg/L 0.4% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Main supplier: PAGOSA AREA WSD · 11,069 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 0.9536 µg/L — ALPINE LAKES RANCH WC · 158 people · 2019 | 4/5 | SYR4 |
| Ethylene Dibromide | 0.0300 µg/L 60% of the EPA limit 0.0500 µg/L Highest in the city: ALPINE LAKES RANCH WC · 158 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0024 mg/L 16% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: PAGOSA AREA WSD · 11,069 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0030 mg/L — SAN JUAN RIVER VILLAGE MD · 877 people · 2025 | 4/5 | 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 Pagosa Springs
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| PAGOSA AREA WSD | 11,069 |
| SAN JUAN RIVER VILLAGE MD | 877 |
| ASPEN SPRINGS MD | 290 |
| ALPINE LAKES RANCH WC | 158 |
| NAVAJO RIVER RANCH POA | 40 |
Frequently asked questions about Pagosa Springs tap water
Is Pagosa Springs tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 31 contaminants in the water serving Pagosa Springs. 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 Pagosa Springs?
5 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Pagosa Springs, Colorado to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Pagosa Springs's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Pagosa Springs include Fluoride, Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Chlorite, 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.