# Phoenix, AZ — Drinking Water Quality (2025)

> Contaminant levels for the Phoenix, AZ public water system from its 2025 Consumer Confidence Report, compared to federal limits.

- Page: https://www.thewatermap.com/water/az/phoenix/2025
- JSON API: https://www.thewatermap.com/api/water/az/phoenix/2025
- Source: the utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
- Verification: transcribed by a model, cross-checked by a second model, approved before publishing
- Reporting year: 2025
- Contaminants measured: 29
- Contaminants with a federal limit: 20
- Contaminants at or above the federal limit: 2
- Part of The Water Map — https://www.thewatermap.com

## Contaminants measured

| Contaminant | Category | Measured level | Sampling context | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorine | Disinfectants | 0.84 mg/L (Running annual avg) | System-wide | 4 mg/L (MRDL) | Within the limit |
| Bromate | Disinfection byproducts | Not detected ug/L (Running annual avg) | System-wide | 10 ug/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Chlorite | Disinfection byproducts | 0.3 mg/L (Running annual avg) | System-wide | 1 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| HAA5 | Disinfection byproducts | 17 ug/L (Running annual avg) | System-wide | 60 ug/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| TTHM | Disinfection byproducts | 49 ug/L (Running annual avg) | System-wide | 80 ug/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Fluoride | Inorganic chemicals | 0.3–1.1 mg/L (Range) | Sample Results | 4 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Nitrate | Inorganic chemicals | 3.8 mg/L (Average) | Annual Average | 10 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Arsenic | Metals | 7 ug/L (Average) | Annual Average | 10 ug/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Barium | Metals | 0.007–0.13 mg/L (Range) | Sample Results | 2 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Chromium, Total | Metals | 0–87 ug/L (Range) | Sample Results | 100 ug/L (MCL) | Approaching the limit |
| Copper | Metals | 0.3 % (90th percentile) | At the tap | 90 % (Action level) | Within the limit |
| Iron | Metals | 0–30 ug/L (Range) | Sample Results | 300 ug/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Lead | Metals | 3 % (90th percentile) | At the tap | 90 % (Action level) | Within the limit |
| Lithium | Metals | 70.2 ug/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Selenium | Metals | 0–2.2 ug/L (Range) | Sample Results | 50 ug/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Sodium | Metals | 91–183 mg/L (Range) | Sample Results | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 0.011 ug/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| PFBA | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 0.005 ug/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Alkalinity | Physical & aggregate | 121–167 mg/L (Range) | Sample Results | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Hardness | Physical & aggregate | 172–17.6 mg/L (Range) | Sample Results | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| pH | Physical & aggregate | 6.6–8.8 (Range) | Sample Results | 6.5 (MCL) | At or above the limit |
| Temperature | Physical & aggregate | 47–92 (Range) | Sample Results | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| TOC | Physical & aggregate | 1.3 (Running annual avg) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Total Dissolved Solids | Physical & aggregate | 464–716 mg/L (Range) | Sample Results | 500 mg/L (MCL) | At or above the limit |
| Turbidity | Physical & aggregate | 1 (Highest single sample) | Measurement | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Combined Radium | Radionuclides | 0–0.8 pCi/L (Range) | Sample Results | 5 pCi/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Gross Alpha | Radionuclides | 0–1.6 pCi/L (Range) | Sample Results | 15 pCi/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Uranium | Radionuclides | 0–4.6 ug/L (Range) | Sample Results | 30 ug/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Xylenes | VOCs & pesticides | 0.0025 mg/L (Average) | Annual Average | 10 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |

## What these contaminants are

- **Chlorine** — A disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. Effective and necessary, but high residual levels can cause taste and odor issues; the EPA caps the residual disinfectant level.
- **Bromate** — A disinfection byproduct formed when bromide-containing water is treated with ozone. Classified as a probable human carcinogen; the EPA sets a strict maximum contaminant level.
- **HAA5** — Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter. Long-term exposure above the federal limit is associated with an increased cancer risk.
- **TTHM** — Total trihalomethanes — a group of four chemicals (including chloroform) formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter. Long-term exposure above the federal limit is linked to liver, kidney, and central-nervous-system effects and increased cancer risk.
- **Fluoride** — A mineral often added to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay. Beneficial at low levels, but long-term exposure above the federal limit can cause bone disease and tooth mottling.
- **Nitrate** — A compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits. Levels above the federal limit can cause 'blue baby syndrome,' a serious oxygen-transport condition in infants.
- **Arsenic** — A naturally occurring element that also enters water from industry and agriculture. A known human carcinogen; long-term exposure is linked to skin, bladder, and lung cancer.
- **Barium** — A metal from erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge. Long-term exposure above the federal limit can raise blood pressure.
- **Chromium, Total** — Total chromium — the sum of all chromium forms, from natural deposits and industrial discharge. Long-term exposure above the federal limit can cause allergic dermatitis; includes hexavalent chromium.
- **Copper** — A metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. Short-term exposure causes stomach distress; long-term exposure can damage the liver and kidneys.
- **Iron** — A naturally occurring metal common in groundwater. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; causes rusty color, staining, and metallic taste.
- **Lead** — A toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. There is no safe level of lead; it harms brain development in children and raises blood pressure in adults. The EPA sets an action level, not a health goal above zero.
- **Lithium** — A naturally occurring element found in some groundwater. No enforceable federal limit; on the EPA contaminant candidate list for further study.
- **Selenium** — A trace element from natural deposits and industrial discharge. Essential in tiny amounts, but long-term exposure above the federal limit can cause hair and fingernail loss and circulatory problems.
- **Sodium** — A naturally occurring salt component. Not federally regulated for health; relevant for people on sodium-restricted diets.
- **Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid** — Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' Has no standalone limit but is part of the EPA PFAS Hazard Index that limits PFAS in combination.
- **PFBA** — Perfluorobutanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' Monitored under EPA rules; persistent in the environment and the human body.
- **Alkalinity** — A measure of the water's capacity to neutralize acids. Not federally regulated for health; relevant to corrosion control and treatment.
- **Hardness** — A measure of dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals. Not federally regulated for health; affects scaling, soap use, and taste.
- **pH** — A measure of how acidic or basic the water is. Regulated only as a secondary standard; very low or high pH can corrode pipes or affect taste.
- **Temperature** — The measured temperature of the water sample. Not regulated for health; warmer water can affect disinfection and microbial growth.
- **TOC** — Total organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water. Not harmful itself, but it is the raw material that forms disinfection byproducts; removal is a treatment requirement.
- **Total Dissolved Solids** — Total dissolved solids — the combined content of all dissolved minerals and salts. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; high levels affect taste and hardness.
- **Turbidity** — A measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. High turbidity can shelter microbes from disinfection; the EPA enforces it through a treatment-technique standard.
- **Combined Radium** — Combined radium-226 and radium-228 — naturally occurring radioactive elements. Long-term exposure above the federal limit increases the risk of bone cancer.
- **Gross Alpha** — Gross alpha particle activity — a combined measure of alpha-emitting radioactive substances. Long-term exposure above the federal limit increases cancer risk.
- **Uranium** — A naturally occurring radioactive metal from erosion of natural deposits. Long-term exposure above the federal limit can damage the kidneys and increase cancer risk.
- **Xylenes** — A group of industrial solvents found in gasoline and paint. Long-term exposure above the federal limit can damage the nervous system.

## How to read this

- A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
- 'Federal limit' is the EPA standard (MCL, action level, treatment technique, etc.) that the measured level is compared against.
- 'At or above the federal limit' means the utility's own reported figure met or exceeded that standard.

_Figures are the utility's own published numbers. Generated 2026-05-25 from thewatermap.com._