Drinking water quality · 2024
What's in Anchorage, AK tap water
16 contaminants were measured in the Anchorage, AK water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 16
- Over federal limit
- 0
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- 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×)PFHxS (Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid)
● Over EPA limit (1.1×)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
Compliance history
Federal Safe Drinking Water Act violation & enforcement records (EPA SDWIS). A violation is a regulatory determination by the state or EPA — separate from the measured levels above.
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 |
Inorganic chemicals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| FluorideA mineral often added to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay. | 0.75 mg/LHighest single sampleDetect In Your Water | 4 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| NitrateA compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits. | 1.77 mg/LHighest single sampleDetect In Your Water | 10 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
Disinfection byproducts
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TTHMTotal trihalomethanes — a group of four chemicals (including chloroform) formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter. | 10.8 ug/LRunning annual avgSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
| HAA5Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter. | 6.85 ug/LRunning annual avgSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| CopperA metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. | 0.047 mg/L90th percentileAt the tap | 1.3 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| BariumA metal from erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge. | 0.0145 mg/LHighest single sampleDetect In Your Water | 2 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| LeadA toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. | 0.0 mg/L90th percentileAt the tap | 0.015 mg/LAction level | None detected |
| SodiumA naturally occurring salt component. | 6.8 mg/LHighest single sampleDetect In Your Water | None set | Detected — no federal 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/LMinimumSystem-wide | 10 ng/LMCL | None detected |
| Perfluorobutanesulfonic acidPerfluorobutanesulfonic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' | Not detected ng/LMinimumSystem-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 | None set | 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 |
People also ask about Anchorage, AK's water
+Is Anchorage, AK tap water safe to drink in 2024?
Every one of the 16 contaminants measured in Anchorage, AK's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report is below its federal limit. "Safe" under the EPA's drinking-water standards is health-based, not aesthetic — but by those standards, no measured contaminant in this report exceeds its enforceable threshold. Individual health concerns (e.g. immunocompromised, infant, pregnancy) may warrant additional filtering regardless of compliance.
+What contaminants are in Anchorage, AK tap water?
16 contaminants were measured in Anchorage, AK's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning pfas ("forever chemicals"), metals, and disinfection byproducts. 11 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+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.