What was found in Kansas City'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 | 2300 µg/L 23% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: WATER DISTRICT 1 OF JOHNSON CO · 490,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 3600 µg/L — KANSAS CITY BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES · 152,960 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 1000 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: WATER DISTRICT 1 OF JOHNSON CO · 490,000 people · 2014
Highest in the city: 3200 µg/L — KANSAS CITY BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES · 152,960 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 707 µg/L 18% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: WATER DISTRICT 1 OF JOHNSON CO · 490,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 846 µg/L — KANSAS CITY BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES · 152,960 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Chlorite | 410 µg/L 41% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: WATER DISTRICT 1 OF JOHNSON CO · 490,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 580 µg/L — KANSAS CITY BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES · 152,960 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 44 µg/L 2.2% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: WATER DISTRICT 1 OF JOHNSON CO · 490,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 136.5 µg/L — KANSAS CITY BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES · 152,960 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 50.9 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WATER DISTRICT 1 OF JOHNSON CO · 490,000 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 55.3 µg/L — KANSAS CITY BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES · 152,960 people · 2024 | 2/2 | UCMR-5 |
| TTHM | 37.77 µg/L 47% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: WATER DISTRICT 1 OF JOHNSON CO · 490,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 50 µg/L — KANSAS CITY BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES · 152,960 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Cyanide | 30 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Main supplier: WATER DISTRICT 1 OF JOHNSON CO · 490,000 people · 2018 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 28.57 µg/L 48% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: WATER DISTRICT 1 OF JOHNSON CO · 490,000 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 27.425 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WATER DISTRICT 1 OF JOHNSON CO · 490,000 people · 2018 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 19.44 µg/L 1.5% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: WATER DISTRICT 1 OF JOHNSON CO · 490,000 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 7.405 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WATER DISTRICT 1 OF JOHNSON CO · 490,000 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 7.875 µg/L — KANSAS CITY BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES · 152,960 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 7.45 pCi/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: KANSAS CITY BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES · 152,960 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 5.57 µg/L 19% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Highest in the city: KANSAS CITY BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES · 152,960 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 5.36 pCi/L 36% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Highest in the city: KANSAS CITY BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES · 152,960 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 2.885 µg/L 5.8% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: WATER DISTRICT 1 OF JOHNSON CO · 490,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 5 µg/L — KANSAS CITY BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES · 152,960 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 4.9 µg/L 33% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: WATER DISTRICT 1 OF JOHNSON CO · 490,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 3.68 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WATER DISTRICT 1 OF JOHNSON CO · 490,000 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 3.85 µg/L — KANSAS CITY BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES · 152,960 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 2.9 µg/L 2.9% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: WATER DISTRICT 1 OF JOHNSON CO · 490,000 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 1.77 µg/L 18% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: WATER DISTRICT 1 OF JOHNSON CO · 490,000 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 1 µg/L 17% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Highest in the city: KANSAS CITY BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES · 152,960 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 0.5200 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: KANSAS CITY BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES · 152,960 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Atrazine | 0.5000 µg/L 17% of the EPA limit 3 µg/L Main supplier: WATER DISTRICT 1 OF JOHNSON CO · 490,000 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Lasso | 0.0570 µg/L 2.9% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Highest in the city: KANSAS CITY BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES · 152,960 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Simazine | 0.0500 µg/L 1.3% of the EPA limit 4 µg/L Highest in the city: KANSAS CITY BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES · 152,960 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0065 mg/L 43% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: WATER DISTRICT 1 OF JOHNSON CO · 490,000 people · 2023
Highest in the city: 0.0075 mg/L — KANSAS CITY BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES · 152,960 people · 2023 | 2/2 | LCR |
| Pfba | 0.0053 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WATER DISTRICT 1 OF JOHNSON CO · 490,000 people · 2025 | 1/2 | 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 Kansas City
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| WATER DISTRICT 1 OF JOHNSON CO | 490,000 |
| KANSAS CITY BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES | 152,960 |
Frequently asked questions about Kansas City tap water
Is Kansas City tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 27 contaminants in the water serving Kansas City. 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 Kansas City?
2 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Kansas City, Kansas to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Kansas City's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Kansas City include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Fluoride, 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.