What was found in Indianapolis'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 | 2900 µg/L 29% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 2884 µg/L 29% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 970 µg/L 24% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 329.45 µg/L 25% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2018 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 270.2 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 77.34 µg/L 97% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 64.62 µg/L 108% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 60 µg/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 48.285 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 15.09 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 12.88 µg/L 86% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2018 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 7.76 pCi/L 52% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 4.67 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 4.528 µg/L 75% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 3.92 µg/L 39% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 3.34 µg/L 3.3% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 2.375 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 1.706 pCi/L 34% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Atrazine | 1.7 µg/L 57% of the EPA limit 3 µg/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 1.47 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 1.34398 µg/L 4.5% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2016 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| 2,4,5-TP | 1.21 µg/L 2.4% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 1.15 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| 2,4-D | 1.099 µg/L 1.6% of the EPA limit 70 µg/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene | 1 µg/L 1.4% of the EPA limit 70 µg/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Simazine | 0.7820 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 4 µg/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Antimony, Total | 0.6000 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Vinyl Chloride | 0.5800 µg/L 29% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| 1,2-Dichloropropane | 0.5000 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Benzo(A)Pyrene | 0.0970 µg/L 49% of the EPA limit 0.2000 µg/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Pfpea | 0.0076 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfba | 0.0057 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.0052 mg/L 35% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2025 | 1/1 | LCR |
| Pfhxa | 0.0051 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| PFBS | 0.0040 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS · 880,345 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
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 Indianapolis
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| CITIZENS WATER - INDIANAPOLIS | 880,345 |
Frequently asked questions about Indianapolis tap water
Is Indianapolis tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 34 contaminants in the water serving Indianapolis. 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 Indianapolis?
1 public water supplier report drinking-water monitoring for Indianapolis, Indiana to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Indianapolis's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Indianapolis 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.