What was found in Vancouver'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 | 4840 µg/L 48% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: VANCOUVER CITY OF · 373,047 people · 2019 | 11/11 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 4300 µg/L 43% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: VANCOUVER CITY OF · 373,047 people · 2019 | 4/11 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 904 µg/L 23% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: VANCOUVER CITY OF · 373,047 people · 2019 | 4/11 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 67.935 µg/L 3.4% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Highest in the city: CLARK PUBLIC UTILITIES · 153,526 people · 2017 | 4/11 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 9.6085 µg/L 12% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: VANCOUVER CITY OF · 373,047 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 65.32 µg/L — BRIDGE ROAD · 25 people · 2019 | 5/11 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 51.9 µg/L 4% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: VANCOUVER CITY OF · 373,047 people · 2019 | 5/11 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 2.312 µg/L 3.9% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: VANCOUVER CITY OF · 373,047 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 41.4355 µg/L — BRIDGE ROAD · 25 people · 2019 | 4/11 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 3.088 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: VANCOUVER CITY OF · 373,047 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 32.4 µg/L — BRIDGE ROAD · 25 people · 2019 | 5/11 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 2.894 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: VANCOUVER CITY OF · 373,047 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 23.6 µg/L — BRIDGE ROAD · 25 people · 2019 | 3/11 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 1.302 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: VANCOUVER CITY OF · 373,047 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 17.55 µg/L — BRIDGE ROAD · 25 people · 2019 | 4/11 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 17.1 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: BRIDGE ROAD · 25 people · 2019 | 2/11 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 2.58 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: VANCOUVER CITY OF · 373,047 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 16.45 µg/L — BRIDGE ROAD · 25 people · 2019 | 3/11 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 5.35 µg/L 53% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Highest in the city: CLARK PUBLIC UTILITIES · 153,526 people · 2017 | 2/11 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 1.27 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: VANCOUVER CITY OF · 373,047 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 4.52 µg/L — BRIDGE ROAD · 25 people · 2019 | 2/11 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 3.65 µg/L 3.7% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Highest in the city: CLARK PUBLIC UTILITIES · 153,526 people · 2017 | 3/11 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 3.3 pCi/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: CLARK PUBLIC UTILITIES · 153,526 people · 2013 | 1/11 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 2.6 µg/L 17% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Highest in the city: OAK MEADOWS MOBILE HOME PARK · 216 people · 2017 | 1/11 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 2.58 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: BRIDGE ROAD · 25 people · 2019 | 2/11 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 1.3525 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: VANCOUVER CITY OF · 373,047 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 1.45 µg/L — BRIDGE ROAD · 25 people · 2019 | 3/11 | SYR4 |
| 1,1,1-Trichloroethane | 1.1 µg/L 0.6% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Highest in the city: CLARK PUBLIC UTILITIES · 153,526 people · 2019 | 1/11 | SYR4 |
| 1,1-Dichloroethylene | 1.1 µg/L 16% of the EPA limit 7 µg/L Highest in the city: CLARK PUBLIC UTILITIES · 153,526 people · 2019 | 1/11 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 0.8100 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: BRIDGE ROAD · 25 people · 2019 | 1/11 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroethylene | 0.7870 µg/L 16% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Highest in the city: SINGLE TREE ACRES · 90 people · 2019 | 2/11 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 0.5100 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: CLARK PUBLIC UTILITIES · 153,526 people · 2019 | 1/11 | SYR4 |
| PFOS | 0.0186 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: VANCOUVER CITY OF · 373,047 people · 2024 | 2/11 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOA | 0.0115 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: VANCOUVER CITY OF · 373,047 people · 2024 | 2/11 | UCMR-5 |
| PFBS | 0.0076 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: VANCOUVER CITY OF · 373,047 people · 2024 | 2/11 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfpea | 0.0074 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: VANCOUVER CITY OF · 373,047 people · 2024 | 1/11 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhxa | 0.0073 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: VANCOUVER CITY OF · 373,047 people · 2024 | 2/11 | UCMR-5 |
| PFHXS | 0.0066 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: VANCOUVER CITY OF · 373,047 people · 2024 | 2/11 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhpa | 0.0030 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: VANCOUVER CITY OF · 373,047 people · 2024 | 1/11 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.0022 mg/L 15% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: VANCOUVER CITY OF · 373,047 people · 2023
Highest in the city: 0.0029 mg/L — OAK MEADOWS MOBILE HOME PARK · 216 people · 2024 | 11/11 | 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 Vancouver
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| VANCOUVER CITY OF | 373,047 |
| CLARK PUBLIC UTILITIES | 153,526 |
| YACOLT | 3,034 |
| AMBOY CLARK PUBLIC UTILITIES | 991 |
| VISTA DEL RIO MOBILE HOME PARK | 352 |
| GREAT WESTERN MOBILE HOME PARK | 250 |
| OAK MEADOWS MOBILE HOME PARK | 216 |
| HILLCREST MANOR | 100 |
| SINGLE TREE ACRES | 90 |
| MORNING MEADOWS | 75 |
| BRIDGE ROAD | 25 |
Frequently asked questions about Vancouver tap water
Is Vancouver tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 32 contaminants in the water serving Vancouver. 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 Vancouver?
11 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Vancouver, Washington to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Vancouver's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Vancouver include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Fluoride, Barium, TTHM. 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.