What was found in Payson'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 | 2600 µg/L 26% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON CITY WATER SYSTEM · 19,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 5794 µg/L — MAPLE LAKE ACADEMY · 36 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 1625 µg/L 16% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON CITY WATER SYSTEM · 19,000 people · 2012 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 387.385 µg/L 9.7% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON CITY WATER SYSTEM · 19,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 476.58 µg/L — MAPLE LAKE ACADEMY · 36 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 169.905 µg/L 8.5% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON CITY WATER SYSTEM · 19,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 301.35 µg/L — MAPLE LAKE ACADEMY · 36 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 149.5 µg/L 12% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON CITY WATER SYSTEM · 19,000 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 2.16 µg/L 4.3% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON CITY WATER SYSTEM · 19,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 20.2 µg/L — MAPLE LAKE ACADEMY · 36 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 3.78 pCi/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAYSON CITY WATER SYSTEM · 19,000 people · 2016
Highest in the city: 11.825 pCi/L — MAPLE LAKE ACADEMY · 36 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 10.695 µg/L 13% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON CITY WATER SYSTEM · 19,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 9.825 µg/L 16% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON CITY WATER SYSTEM · 19,000 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 8.01 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAYSON CITY WATER SYSTEM · 19,000 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 5.825 µg/L 39% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON CITY WATER SYSTEM · 19,000 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 5.19 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAYSON CITY WATER SYSTEM · 19,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 4.29 pCi/L 29% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Main supplier: PAYSON CITY WATER SYSTEM · 19,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 5.171 pCi/L — MAPLE LAKE ACADEMY · 36 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Cyanide | 3 µg/L 1.5% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Highest in the city: MAPLE LAKE ACADEMY · 36 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 2.9 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAYSON CITY WATER SYSTEM · 19,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 1.285 µg/L 13% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON CITY WATER SYSTEM · 19,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 2.7 µg/L — MAPLE LAKE ACADEMY · 36 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 2.5 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAYSON CITY WATER SYSTEM · 19,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 1.75 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAYSON CITY WATER SYSTEM · 19,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 1.495 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAYSON CITY WATER SYSTEM · 19,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 0.5000 µg/L 0.5% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Highest in the city: MAPLE LAKE ACADEMY · 36 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 0.3070 pCi/L 6.1% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Highest in the city: MAPLE LAKE ACADEMY · 36 people · 2018 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0020 mg/L 13% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: PAYSON CITY WATER SYSTEM · 19,000 people · 2025 | 3/3 | 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 Payson
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| PAYSON CITY WATER SYSTEM | 19,000 |
| SPRING LAKE | 475 |
| MAPLE LAKE ACADEMY | 36 |
Frequently asked questions about Payson tap water
Is Payson tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 22 contaminants in the water serving Payson. 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 Payson?
3 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Payson, Utah to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Payson's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Payson include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Fluoride, Barium, Copper. 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.