What was found in Pocatello'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 | 8380 µg/L 84% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: POCATELLO CITY OF · 58,231 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 8510 µg/L — TYHEE AND S AND N ESTATES WATER ASSN · 300 people · 2019 | 13/13 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 7762.5 µg/L 78% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: POCATELLO CITY OF · 58,231 people · 2019 | 11/13 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 300 µg/L 7.5% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: POCATELLO CITY OF · 58,231 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 3360 µg/L — SMITH ROAD WATER USERS ASSN · 58 people · 2019 | 13/13 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 171 µg/L 8.6% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: POCATELLO CITY OF · 58,231 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 306.3 µg/L — WILDHORSE RIDGE SUBD · 85 people · 2019 | 13/13 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 227 µg/L 23% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: POCATELLO CITY OF · 58,231 people · 2019 | 4/13 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 139.05 µg/L 11% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Highest in the city: BIG SKY N. SUBDIVISION · 300 people · 2019 | 1/13 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 42.3 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: POCATELLO CITY OF · 58,231 people · 2024 | 1/13 | UCMR-5 |
| TTHM | 18.9 µg/L 24% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: POCATELLO CITY OF · 58,231 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 20.9435 µg/L — SMITH ROAD WATER USERS ASSN · 58 people · 2019 | 2/13 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 2 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: POCATELLO CITY OF · 58,231 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 12.8 µg/L — SMITH ROAD WATER USERS ASSN · 58 people · 2019 | 12/13 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 6.878 pCi/L 46% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Main supplier: POCATELLO CITY OF · 58,231 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 11.979 pCi/L — TYHEE AND S AND N ESTATES WATER ASSN · 300 people · 2013 | 9/13 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 6.6 µg/L 6.6% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: POCATELLO CITY OF · 58,231 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 11 µg/L — SMITH ROAD WATER USERS ASSN · 58 people · 2019 | 8/13 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 10.123 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: POCATELLO CITY OF · 58,231 people · 2018 | 1/13 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 4.3 µg/L 8.6% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: POCATELLO CITY OF · 58,231 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 9.75 µg/L — SMITH ROAD WATER USERS ASSN · 58 people · 2019 | 11/13 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 2.4835 µg/L 8.3% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Main supplier: POCATELLO CITY OF · 58,231 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 5.6755 µg/L — TYHEE AND S AND N ESTATES WATER ASSN · 300 people · 2019 | 13/13 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 4.9 µg/L 33% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Highest in the city: BIG SKY N. SUBDIVISION · 300 people · 2019 | 1/13 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 1.935 pCi/L 39% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: POCATELLO CITY OF · 58,231 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 4.50435 pCi/L — BIG SKY N. SUBDIVISION · 300 people · 2016 | 9/13 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 4.4925 pCi/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: WILDHORSE RIDGE SUBD · 85 people · 2018 | 1/13 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 4.181 µg/L 7% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: POCATELLO CITY OF · 58,231 people · 2019 | 1/13 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 3.828 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: POCATELLO CITY OF · 58,231 people · 2018 | 1/13 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 3.279 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: POCATELLO CITY OF · 58,231 people · 2018 | 1/13 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroethylene | 2.325 µg/L 47% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: POCATELLO CITY OF · 58,231 people · 2019 | 1/13 | SYR4 |
| Dichloromethane | 1 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Highest in the city: BIG SKY N. SUBDIVISION · 300 people · 2014 | 1/13 | SYR4 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | 0.9475 µg/L 19% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: POCATELLO CITY OF · 58,231 people · 2019 | 1/13 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 0.5540 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: POCATELLO CITY OF · 58,231 people · 2018 | 1/13 | SYR4 |
| Ethylene Dibromide | 0.0298 µg/L 60% of the EPA limit 0.0500 µg/L Highest in the city: EQUESTRIAN ESTATES · 88 people · 2019 | 1/13 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0050 mg/L 33% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: POCATELLO CITY OF · 58,231 people · 2026
Highest in the city: 0.0130 mg/L — SPACE ACRES WATER USERS ASSN · 29 people · 2022 | 13/13 | 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 Pocatello
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| POCATELLO CITY OF | 58,231 |
| BIG SKY N. SUBDIVISION | 300 |
| TYHEE AND S AND N ESTATES WATER ASSN | 300 |
| CARIBOU ACRES | 150 |
| D AND M WATER ASSN | 142 |
| WHITEWATER SUBD | 106 |
| EQUESTRIAN ESTATES | 88 |
| TWIN PINES MOBILE PARK | 86 |
| WILDHORSE RIDGE SUBD | 85 |
| VALLEY VIEW ESTATES | 74 |
| SMITH ROAD WATER USERS ASSN | 58 |
| SPACE ACRES WATER USERS ASSN | 29 |
| MINK CREEK MOUNTAIN ESTATES | 27 |
Frequently asked questions about Pocatello tap water
Is Pocatello tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 26 contaminants in the water serving Pocatello. 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 Pocatello?
13 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Pocatello, Idaho to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Pocatello's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Pocatello include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Fluoride, Barium, 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.