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Paducah Water Works

EPA monitoring tested this supplier for 103 contaminants and detected 21. A detection doesn't automatically mean the water is unsafe — the level and EPA source for each is below.

103
contaminants tested
21
detected
65,004
people served
16
health-based violations
Kentucky rankingsLead in KentuckyPFAS in Kentucky
Water source
Surface water
Ownership
Local government
Counties served
McCracken

Compliance record

Formal violations the EPA has on file for this supplier. A health-based violation means a contaminant limit or a required treatment was breached; the rest are monitoring or reporting failures — still violations, but not a measured health risk.

16
health-based violations
133
violations on file
0
still open
ViolationTypeStatusPeriod
MCL Health-based Resolved 2015-07-01 → 2015-09-30
MCL Health-based Resolved 2015-07-01 → 2015-09-30
MCL Health-based Resolved 2015-07-01 → 2015-09-30
MCL Health-based Resolved 2015-07-01 → 2015-09-30
MCL Health-based Resolved 2014-01-01 → 2014-03-31
MCL Health-based Resolved 2014-01-01 → 2014-03-31
MCL Health-based Resolved 2014-01-01 → 2014-03-31
MCL Health-based Resolved 2014-01-01 → 2014-03-31
TT Health-based Resolved 2004-10-01 → 2004-10-31
TT Health-based Resolved 2004-10-01 → 2004-10-31

PFAS detected

PFAS are industrial “forever chemicals”. These are the EPA's latest nationwide test results (2023–2025).
ContaminantMaxDetection ratePeriod
PFOS 0.0081 µg/L 4/4 2024
PFBS 0.0033 µg/L 2/4 2024
PFOA 0.0058 µg/L 2/4 2024
Pfba 0.0073 µg/L 1/4 2024
Pfpea 0.0046 µg/L 1/4 2024

Other contaminants detected

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 this system's samples — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a violation. Where a single sample came in higher than that percentile, it is noted under the bar. Formal violations are listed separately.
ContaminantLevel vs EPA limitDetection rateSourcePeriod
TTHM
85.1 µg/L 106%
of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 80 µg/L
worst single sample: 136 µg/L
259/259 SYR4 2012–2019
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
64 µg/L 107%
of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 60 µg/L
worst single sample: 84 µg/L
259/259 SYR4 2012–2019
Copper
121.6 µg/L 9.4%
of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L
worst single sample: 215 µg/L
98/98 SYR4 2012–2019
Chlorite
799.5 µg/L 80%
of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L
worst single sample: 830 µg/L
62/63 SYR4 2012–2014
Nitrate
900 µg/L 9%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
 16/16 SYR4 2012–2019
Fluoride
800 µg/L 20%
of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L
 15/16 SYR4 2012–2019
Lead
0.0 mg/L 0%
of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L
 15/15 LCR 2024
Barium
26 µg/L 1.3%
of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L
 8/8 SYR4 2012–2019
Lead
7.5 µg/L 50%
of the EPA limit 15 µg/L
worst single sample: 9 µg/L
6/90 SYR4 2012–2018
Atrazine
0.5700 µg/L 19%
of the EPA limit 3 µg/L
worst single sample: 0.6000 µg/L
4/11 SYR4 2012–2017
Mercury
0.2000 µg/L 10%
of the EPA limit 2 µg/L
 2/8 SYR4 2012–2019
Arsenic
0.3000 µg/L 3%
of the EPA limit 10 µg/L
 1/8 SYR4 2012–2019
Chlorobenzene
0.7000 µg/L 0.7%
of the EPA limit 100 µg/L
 1/11 SYR4 2012–2019
Chromium
0.7000 µg/L 0.7%
of the EPA limit 100 µg/L
 1/8 SYR4 2012–2019
Combined Radium (-226 And -228)
2.3 pCi/L 46%
of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L
 1/1 SYR4 2014
Selenium
3 µg/L 6%
of the EPA limit 50 µg/L
 1/8 SYR4 2012–2019
82 contaminants tested, none detected
1,1,1-Trichloroethane1,1,2-Trichloroethane1,1-Dichloroethylene1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE1,2-Dichloroethane1,2-Dichloropropane11Cl-PF3OUdS2,3,7,8-TCDD2,4,5-TP2,4-D4:2 Fts6:2 Fts8:2 Fts9Cl-PF3ONSAdonaAntimony, TotalBhc-GammaBenzeneBenzo(A)PyreneBeryllium, TotalCyanideCadmiumCarbofuranCarbon TetrachlorideChlordaneCombined UraniumDichloromethaneDalaponDi(2-ethylhexyl) AdipateDi(2-ethylhexyl) PhthalateDinosebDiquatEthylene DibromideEndothallEndrinEthylbenzeneGlyphosateGross Alpha, Excl. Radon And UHexachlorobenzeneHfpo-DaHeptachlorHeptachlor EpoxideHexachlorocyclopentadieneLassoMethoxychlorNetfosaaNfdhaNmefosaaNitriteOxamylPfdaPfdoaPfeesaPfhpaPfhpsPfhxaPFHXSPfmbaPfmpaPFNAPfpesPftaPftrdaPfunaPentachlorophenolPicloramSimazineStyreneTetrachloroethyleneThallium, TotalTolueneTotal Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB)ToxapheneTrichloroethyleneVinyl ChlorideXylenes, Totalcis-1,2-DichloroethyleneLithiumO-DichlorobenzeneP-Dichlorobenzenetrans-1,2-Dichloroethylene

Utility contact

Contact
PETERSEN, JASON
Phone
270-444-5550
Email
[email protected]

Frequently asked questions about Paducah Water Works

Is Paducah Water Works tap water safe to drink?

EPA monitoring detected 21 contaminants in Paducah Water Works's water. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most levels are within federal limits. See each level and source above, and the utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for its official compliance status.

What contaminants were detected in Paducah Water Works's water?

EPA monitoring detected TTHM, Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Copper, Chlorite, Nitrate, and others. The full list with the level and data source for each is above.

How many people does Paducah Water Works serve?

Paducah Water Works reports serving 65,004 people in Kentucky, per its EPA record.

Has Paducah Water Works had any water quality violations?

The EPA has 133 violations on file for Paducah Water Works, of which 16 are health-based (a contaminant limit or required treatment was breached) and 0 remain open. The rest are monitoring or reporting failures.

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.