What was found in Jefferson 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 | 3150.5 µg/L 32% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2019 | 2/6 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 2855.5 µg/L 29% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2019 | 4/6 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 1030 µg/L 26% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2019 | 5/6 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 93.75 µg/L 7.2% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 338.75 µg/L — MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY NORTH · 95 people · 2018 | 6/6 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 14.1 µg/L 0.7% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 200 µg/L — MO AMERICAN LAKE CARMEL · 215 people · 2018 | 5/6 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 92.7 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2024 | 1/6 | UCMR-5 |
| TTHM | 75.095 µg/L 94% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2019 | 5/6 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 64.75 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2019 | 5/6 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 29.2 µg/L 49% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2019 | 4/6 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 25.39 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2019 | 5/6 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 16.991 µg/L 0.2% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: COLE COUNTY PWSD 4 · 7,568 people · 2018 | 2/6 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 5.3 µg/L 35% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 16.165 µg/L — COLE COUNTY PWSD 4 · 7,568 people · 2018 | 6/6 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 10.54 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2019 | 5/6 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 7.925 pCi/L 53% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Highest in the city: COLE COUNTY PWSD 2 · 13,107 people · 2015 | 2/6 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 5.985 µg/L 6% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2019 | 4/6 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 5.17 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2019 | 4/6 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 4.8 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2019 | 2/6 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 3.715 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2019 | 1/6 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 3.2 pCi/L 64% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Highest in the city: COLE COUNTY PWSD 1 · 16,548 people · 2019 | 3/6 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 3 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2019 | 1/6 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 3 µg/L 6% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2019 | 1/6 | SYR4 |
| Ethylbenzene | 2.82 µg/L 0.4% of the EPA limit 700 µg/L Highest in the city: COLE COUNTY PWSD 4 · 7,568 people · 2018 | 1/6 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 2.74 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2019 | 2/6 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 1.03 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 2.615 µg/L — COLE COUNTY PWSD 1 · 16,548 people · 2018 | 2/6 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 1.87 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2019 | 2/6 | SYR4 |
| 2,4-D | 0.7650 µg/L 1.1% of the EPA limit 70 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2019 | 1/6 | SYR4 |
| Atrazine | 0.7180 µg/L 24% of the EPA limit 3 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2019 | 1/6 | SYR4 |
| Antimony, Total | 0.5700 µg/L 9.5% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2019 | 1/6 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0020 mg/L 13% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0088 mg/L — COLE COUNTY PWSD 4 · 7,568 people · 2024 | 6/6 | LCR |
| Pfba | 0.0072 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT · 30,075 people · 2024 | 1/6 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOA | 0.0058 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: COLE COUNTY PWSD 1 · 16,548 people · 2024 | 1/6 | 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 Jefferson City
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY DISTRICT | 30,075 |
| COLE COUNTY PWSD 1 | 16,548 |
| COLE COUNTY PWSD 2 | 13,107 |
| COLE COUNTY PWSD 4 | 7,568 |
| MO AMERICAN LAKE CARMEL | 215 |
| MO AMERICAN JEFFERSON CITY NORTH | 95 |
Frequently asked questions about Jefferson City tap water
Is Jefferson City tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 31 contaminants in the water serving Jefferson 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 Jefferson City?
6 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Jefferson City, Missouri to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Jefferson City's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Jefferson City 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.