What was found in Joplin'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 | 3640 µg/L 36% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JOPLIN · 73,728 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 3635.5 µg/L 36% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JOPLIN · 73,728 people · 2019 | 4/5 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 954.5 µg/L 24% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JOPLIN · 73,728 people · 2019 | 4/5 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 218.5 µg/L 17% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JOPLIN · 73,728 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 254.4 µg/L — TIMBERLOST MHP · 150 people · 2019 | 5/5 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 200 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JOPLIN · 73,728 people · 2019 | 5/5 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 39.08 µg/L 49% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JOPLIN · 73,728 people · 2019 | 2/5 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 34.4 µg/L 57% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JOPLIN · 73,728 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 27.1 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JOPLIN · 73,728 people · 2024 | 1/5 | UCMR-5 |
| Chloroform | 26.12 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JOPLIN · 73,728 people · 2019 | 2/5 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 17.32 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JOPLIN · 73,728 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 16.175 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JOPLIN · 73,728 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 8.3 µg/L 55% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JOPLIN · 73,728 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 12.8635 µg/L — REDINGS MILL PWS · 163 people · 2019 | 4/5 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 9.92 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JOPLIN · 73,728 people · 2019 | 2/5 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 7.865 pCi/L 52% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JOPLIN · 73,728 people · 2016 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 0.6100 µg/L 0.6% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JOPLIN · 73,728 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 7.29 µg/L — TIMBERLOST MHP · 150 people · 2019 | 5/5 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 5.8 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JOPLIN · 73,728 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 4.27 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JOPLIN · 73,728 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 2.6 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JOPLIN · 73,728 people · 2019 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 1.74 pCi/L 35% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JOPLIN · 73,728 people · 2016
Highest in the city: 2.58 pCi/L — REDINGS MILL PWS · 163 people · 2018 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 1.44 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Highest in the city: REDINGS MILL PWS · 163 people · 2019 | 2/5 | SYR4 |
| Cadmium | 1.26 µg/L 25% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Highest in the city: TIMBERLOST MHP · 150 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 1.22 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: TIMBERLOST MHP · 150 people · 2018 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 1.098 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: TIMBERLOST MHP · 150 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Carbon Tetrachloride | 0.7950 µg/L 16% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JOPLIN · 73,728 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Atrazine | 0.6750 µg/L 23% of the EPA limit 3 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JOPLIN · 73,728 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| 2,4-D | 0.3000 µg/L 0.4% of the EPA limit 70 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JOPLIN · 73,728 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Simazine | 0.1500 µg/L 3.8% of the EPA limit 4 µg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JOPLIN · 73,728 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0040 mg/L 27% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: MO AMERICAN JOPLIN · 73,728 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0129 mg/L — BIG VALLEY PARK MHP · 158 people · 2023 | 5/5 | 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 Joplin
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| MO AMERICAN JOPLIN | 73,728 |
| REDINGS MILL PWS | 163 |
| BIG VALLEY PARK MHP | 158 |
| TIMBERLOST MHP | 150 |
| PARK PLACE MHP JOPLIN | 62 |
Frequently asked questions about Joplin tap water
Is Joplin tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 28 contaminants in the water serving Joplin. 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 Joplin?
5 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Joplin, Missouri to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Joplin's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Joplin 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.