Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in Anchorage, AK tap water
17 contaminants were measured in the Anchorage, AK water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit — 2 sit at or above that limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 17
- Over federal limit
- 2
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Worst contaminant
- Copper
- Service area
- AK
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
2 PFAS compounds above EPA limits in Anchorage, AK
The EPA finalized the first-ever federal drinking-water limits for six PFAS compounds in April 2024. These numbers come straight from EPA's UCMR5 lab dataset — every U.S. system serving more than 3,300 people tested every PFAS sample at an entry point to its distribution system. PFAS not listed below were either tested and not detected, or not yet sampled.
PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic acid)
● Over EPA limit (2.3×)near national p90 (13.649999999999999 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
PFHxS (Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid)
● Over EPA limit (1.1×)near national p90 (12.049999999999997 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Anchorage, AK's drinking water comes from ground water, drawn from 8 sources.
Source
- WELL 10 - KLUTINA
- WELL 12
- WELL 29 LARGE - SERVICE HS
- WELL 11 - KLUTINA
- + 4 more
Treatment
- LG WELL 29 TREATMENT, CL2, SERVICE HS
- EKLUTNA TREATMENT PLANT
- TREATMENT PLANT SHIP CREEK
- + 5 more
Distribution
Historical readings · EPA Six-Year Review (2012–2019)
1 contaminant historically over EPA limits in Anchorage, AK
Every U.S. public water system reports compliance-monitoring data to EPA. The Six-Year Review releases the 2012–2019 window as a single dataset — here's what your system reported, year by year. Values shown are the highest detection per analyte per year, compared to the federal MCL.
| Contaminant | Worst detection | EPA limit | Years (2012–2019) |
|---|---|---|---|
HAA5 worst: 2015 | 0.074 mg/L 1.2× | 0.06 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
TTHM worst: 2015 | 0.0683 mg/L 85% | 0.08 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
RADIUM 226 228 worst: 2016 | 1.5 pCi/L within below national p90 | 5 pCi/L | '16 |
ARSENIC worst: 2015 | 0.0022 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.01 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18 |
NITRATE NITRITE worst: 2012 | 1.81 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
NITRATE worst: 2019 | 1.69 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '16'19 |
FLUORIDE worst: 2019 | 0.66 mg/L within | 4 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'17'18'19 |
BERYLLIUM worst: 2013 | 0.000301 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.004 mg/L | '13 |
BARIUM worst: 2018 | 0.1 mg/L within below national p90 | 2 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
SELENIUM worst: 2019 | 0.0023 mg/L within | 0.05 mg/L | '12'14'19 |
CYANIDE worst: 2012 | 0.0063 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.2 mg/L | '12 |
ANTIMONY worst: 2013 | 0.000186 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.006 mg/L | '13'14 |
CHROMIUM worst: 2018 | 0.0028 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.1 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
TOLUENE worst: 2017 | 0.00082 mg/L within | 1 mg/L | '17 |
COPPER worst: 2012 | 0.212 mg/L below national p90 | — | '12'13'14'15'16'18'19 |
LEAD worst: 2012 | 0.0296 mg/L | — | '12'15'18 |
DCAA worst: 2012 | 0.0097 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
MBAA worst: 2015 | 0.0012 mg/L | — | '15 |
MCAA worst: 2013 | 0.00236 mg/L | — | '13'14'15 |
TCAA worst: 2012 | 0.00636 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
BROMODICHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.00102 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
CHLOROFORM worst: 2012 | 0.0306 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
DIBROMOCHLOROMETHANE worst: 2015 | 0.00123 mg/L | — | '15 |
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. | 1.29 mg/LHighest single sampleDetect In Your Water | 4 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acidHFPO-DA ('GenX chemicals'), a newer-generation PFAS replacement compound. | Not detected ng/LMaximumSystem-wide | 10 ng/LMCL | None detected |
| Perfluorobutanesulfonic acidPerfluorobutanesulfonic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' | Not detected ng/LMaximumSystem-wide | None set | None detected |
| Perfluorononanoic acidPerfluorononanoic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical.' | Not detected ng/LMinimumSystem-wide | 10 ng/LMCL | None detected |
| PFAS | Not detected ng/LMinimumSystem-wide | 1 ng/LMCL | None detected |
| PFOSPerfluorooctanesulfonic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical' once used in firefighting foam and coatings. | Not detected ng/LMinimumSystem-wide | 4 ng/LMCL | None detected |
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| SodiumA naturally occurring salt component. | 6.8 mg/LHighest single sampleDetect In Your Water | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Microbial
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total ColiformA group of bacteria used as an indicator of overall water-system sanitation. | 2024Running annual avgSystem-wide | 0MCLG | Detected — no federal limit |
People also ask about Anchorage, AK's water
+Is Anchorage, AK tap water safe to drink in 2024?
The 2024 Consumer Confidence Report for the Anchorage, AK water utility lists 2 contaminants at or above the federal limit: Copper and Barium. Whether that means the water is "unsafe" depends on which contaminant, how long the exposure, and individual health factors. The table on this page shows the measured value, the federal threshold, and the regulated statistic used for compliance.
+What contaminants are in Anchorage, AK tap water?
17 contaminants were measured in Anchorage, AK's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning pfas ("forever chemicals"), metals, and disinfection byproducts. 15 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+Which contaminants exceed federal limits in Anchorage, AK tap water?
2 contaminants in Anchorage, AK's 2024 report sit at or above the federal limit: Copper (237.7× the limit); Barium (72.5× the limit). The EPA enforces these limits against the regulated reporting statistic — typically a running annual average or 90th percentile — not a one-off sample spike.
+What is the worst contaminant in Anchorage, AK tap water?
The contaminant with the highest measured value relative to its federal limit in the 2024 report is Copper, at 237.7× the federal threshold. It belongs to the metals family of contaminants.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Anchorage, AK's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. public water utility is required by federal law to publish. The original source document is archived and viewable on this site. A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
+How often is Anchorage, AK's water quality data updated?
Each U.S. public water utility publishes one Consumer Confidence Report per year, covering the prior calendar year's measurements. This page reflects the 2024 report; a new report will replace it once the utility publishes its next annual update.