PFAS ("forever chemicals")
PFBA in U.S. tap water
224 public water systems across 30 U.S. states report PFBA in their annual Consumer Confidence Report. None currently sit at or above the federal limit.
See the PFAS Hotspots leaderboard → — every U.S. water system over EPA's finalized PFAS limit, ranked by severity, from the 2023–2025 UCMR5 lab dataset.
What it is
Perfluorobutanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.'
Why it's regulated
Monitored under EPA rules; persistent in the environment and the human body.
Within the federal limit (40)
| Water system | Measured |
|---|---|
| Albuquerque, NM 2024 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Boonsboro Keedysville, MD 2024 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Brown Deer, WI 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Butler, WI 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Carpinteria Valley Water District — Carpinteria, Ca, CA 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Chesapeake, VA 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Cincinnati, OH 2024 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| City of Mountain House — Mountain House, Ca, CA 2023 annual report | Not detected |
| Cotati, City of — Cotati, Ca, CA 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Dearborn, MI 2024 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| East Valley Water District — Highland, Ca, CA 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Fallbrook Pud — Fallbrook, Ca, CA 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Fillmore Water Dept — Fillmore, Ca, CA 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Foothill Municipal Water Dist. — La Canada Flintridge, Ca, CA 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Franklin, WI 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Freedom District, MD 2024 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Greendale, WI 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Greenfield, WI 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Hales Corners, WI 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Long Beach, CA 2024 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Long Beach Utilities Department — Long Beach, Ca, CA 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Menomonee Falls, WI 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Mequon, WI 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Milwaukee, WI 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Montecito Water Dist — Santa Barbara, Ca, CA 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| New Berlin, WI 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Nuevo Water Company — Nuevo, Ca, CA 2022 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Pasadena, CA 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Round Rock, TX 2024 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Salem, OR 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Shorewood, WI 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| South Tahoe Pud - Main — South Lake Tahoe, Ca, CA 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| St. Francis, WI 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Thiensville, WI 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Tracy, CA 2024 annual report | Not detected |
| Ventura Cwwd No. 1 - Moorpark — Moorpark, Ca, CA 2023 annual report | Not detected |
| Waukesha, WI 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| Wauwatosa, WI 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| West Allis, WI 2023 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
| West Valley City, UT 2024 annual report | Not detected ng/L |
Frequently asked
+What is PFBA?
Perfluorobutanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' Monitored under EPA rules; persistent in the environment and the human body.
+What is the federal limit for PFBA in drinking water?
The federal NL for PFBA is 0.005 . 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 PFBA over the federal limit?
Zero of the 224 public water systems in The Water Map dataset currently report PFBA at or above its federal limit.
+How can I check if PFBA 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 PFBA.