Metals
Aluminum in U.S. tap water
125 public water systems across 17 U.S. states report Aluminum in their annual Consumer Confidence Report. 21 sit at or above the federal limit.
What it is
A common element sometimes used as a treatment coagulant.
Why it's regulated
Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; high levels can discolor water.
At or above the federal limit (21)
| Water system | Measured | vs. limit |
|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City, UT 2024 annual report | 14.2 | 284.0× the limit |
| Inglewood, CA 2023 annual report | 52 ug/L | 52.0× the limit |
| Catoosa Utility District Authority, TN 2025 annual report | 6 mg/L | 30.0× the limit |
| Chattanooga, TN 2025 annual report | 6 mg/L | 30.0× the limit |
| East Ridge, TN 2025 annual report | 6 mg/L | 30.0× the limit |
| Elder Mountain, TN 2025 annual report | 6 mg/L | 30.0× the limit |
| Fort Oglethorpe, TN 2025 annual report | 6 mg/L | 30.0× the limit |
| Lookout Mountain, TN 2025 annual report | 6 mg/L | 30.0× the limit |
| Lookout Mountain, Ga, TN 2025 annual report | 6 mg/L | 30.0× the limit |
| Red Bank, TN 2025 annual report | 6 mg/L | 30.0× the limit |
| Rossville, TN 2025 annual report | 6 mg/L | 30.0× the limit |
| Signal Mountain, TN 2025 annual report | 6 mg/L | 30.0× the limit |
| Walker County, TN 2025 annual report | 6 mg/L | 30.0× the limit |
| St George, UT 2024 annual report | 200 ug/L | 4.0× the limit |
| New Bedford, MA 2024 annual report | 416 ug/L | 2.1× the limit |
| Charleston, SC 2024 annual report | 94 ug/L | 1.9× the limit |
| North Charleston, SC 2024 annual report | 94 ug/L | 1.9× the limit |
| Mobile, AL 2024 annual report | 0.26–0.3 | 1.5× the limit |
| Billings, MT 2024 annual report | 0–59.5 ug/L | 1.2× the limit |
| Lubbock, TX 2024 annual report | 0.054 mg/L | 1.1× the limit |
| Torrance, CA 2024 annual report | 0–210 ug/L | 1.1× the limit |
Within the federal limit (95)
| Water system | Measured |
|---|---|
| Lakewood, CO 2024 annual report | 39.5 ug/L |
| El Cajon, CA 2024 annual report | 140 |
| Brownsville, TX 2024 annual report | 0.034 |
| Lakewood, NJ 2025 annual report | 0.13 mg/L |
| Irvine, CA 2023 annual report | 105 ug/L |
| Costa Mesa, CA 2024 annual report | 93 ug/L |
| Fullerton, CA 2024 annual report | 93 ug/L |
| Bakersfield, CA 2024 annual report | 91 ug/L |
| Burbank, CA 2024 annual report | 0–91 ug/L |
| Thousand Oaks, CA 2024 annual report | 52–91 ug/L |
| Vallejo, CA 2024 annual report | 87 ug/L |
| Huntsville, AL 2024 annual report | 0–0.08 mg/L |
| Fairfield, CA 2024 annual report | 72 ug/L |
| Columbus, OH 2025 annual report | 0.016 |
| Simi Valley, CA 2024 annual report | 62 ug/L |
| Huntington Beach, CA 2025 annual report | 58 ug/L |
| Chula Vista Otay, CA 2024 annual report | 64–230 ug/L |
| Fishers, IN 2024 annual report | 42 ug/L |
| Indianapolis, IN 2024 annual report | 42 ug/L |
| Morgan County, IN 2024 annual report | 42 ug/L |
| Westfield, IN 2024 annual report | 42 ug/L |
| Ontario, CA 2024 annual report | 41 ug/L |
| Pomona, CA 2024 annual report | 110–158 ug/L |
| Dallas, TX 2024 annual report | 0.006 mg/L |
| Pasadena, CA 2023 annual report | 115 ug/L |
| Arvada, CO 2024 annual report | 0.021 mg/L |
| Antioch, CA 2024 annual report | 0.06 mg/L |
| City of Antioch, CA 2024 annual report | 0.06 mg/L |
| City of Brentwood, CA 2024 annual report | 0.06 mg/L |
| City of Brentwood, CA 2024 annual report | 0.06 mg/L |
| City of Martinez, CA 2024 annual report | 0.06 mg/L |
| City of Martinez, CA 2024 annual report | 0.06 mg/L |
| City of Pittsburg, CA 2024 annual report | 0.06 mg/L |
| City of Pittsburg, CA 2024 annual report | 0.06 mg/L |
| Concord, CA 2024 annual report | 0.06 mg/L |
| Diablo Water District, CA 2024 annual report | 0.06 mg/L |
| Diablo Water District, CA 2024 annual report | 0.06 mg/L |
| Golden State Water Company, CA 2024 annual report | 0.06 mg/L |
| Golden State Water Company, CA 2024 annual report | 0.06 mg/L |
| Elizabeth, NJ 2024 annual report | 0.02 mg/L |
| Alameda, CA 2024 annual report | 0–56 ug/L |
| Albany, CA 2024 annual report | 0–56 ug/L |
| Berkeley, CA 2024 annual report | 0–56 ug/L |
| Castro Valley, CA 2024 annual report | 0–56 ug/L |
| Crockett, CA 2024 annual report | 0–56 ug/L |
| El Cerrito, CA 2024 annual report | 0–56 ug/L |
| El Sobrante, CA 2024 annual report | 0–56 ug/L |
| Emeryville, CA 2024 annual report | 0–56 ug/L |
| Hayward, CA 2024 annual report | 0–56 ug/L |
| Hercules, CA 2024 annual report | 0–56 ug/L |
Showing 50 of 95. The full list is in the JSON API.
Frequently asked
+What is Aluminum?
A common element sometimes used as a treatment coagulant. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; high levels can discolor water.
+What is the federal limit for Aluminum in drinking water?
The federal Public health goal for Aluminum is 600 ug/L. The EPA enforces this against the regulated reporting statistic (typically a running annual average or 90th percentile), not a single-sample spike.
+How many U.S. water systems have Aluminum over the federal limit?
21 of the 125 public water systems on The Water Map report Aluminum at or above its federal limit, spanning 17 U.S. states. The full list is on this page.
+How can I check if Aluminum is in my city's tap water?
Search your city on The Water Map (https://www.thewatermap.com/) or browse the list on this page. Every U.S. public water utility is required to publish an annual Consumer Confidence Report that lists every contaminant it measured, including Aluminum.