# Scottsdale, AZ — Drinking Water Quality (2024)

> Contaminant levels for the Scottsdale, AZ public water system from its 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, compared to federal limits.

- Page: https://www.thewatermap.com/water/az/scottsdale/2024
- JSON API: https://www.thewatermap.com/api/water/az/scottsdale/2024
- 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: 2024
- Contaminants measured: 32
- Contaminants with a federal limit: 15
- 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 | 0.65 mg/L (Average) | System-wide | 4 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| HAA5 | Disinfection byproducts | 20 ug/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| TTHM | Disinfection byproducts | 52.8 ug/L (Average) | System-wide | 80 ug/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Bromide | Inorganic chemicals | 0.08 mg/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Chloride | Inorganic chemicals | 170 mg/L (Maximum) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Fluoride | Inorganic chemicals | 0.4 mg/L (Average) | System-wide | 4 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Nitrate | Inorganic chemicals | 3.4 mg/L (Running annual avg) | Running Annual Average¹ | 10 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Sulfate | Inorganic chemicals | 253 mg/L (Maximum) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Aluminum | Metals | 0.1 mg/L (Maximum) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Arsenic | Metals | 8.4 ug/L (Running annual avg) | Running Annual Average¹ | 10 ug/L (MCL) | Approaching the limit |
| Barium | Metals | 79 ug/L (Average) | System-wide | 2 ug/L (MCL) | At or above the limit |
| Calcium | Metals | 88 mg/L (Maximum) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Chromium, Total | Metals | 9.2 ug/L (Average) | System-wide | 100 ug/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Copper | Metals | 170 ug/L (90th percentile) | At the tap | 1 ug/L (Action level) | At or above the limit |
| Germanium | Metals | 0.024 ug/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Iron | Metals | 0.04 mg/L (Maximum) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Lead | Metals | 2 ug/L (90th percentile) | At the tap | 15 ug/L (Action level) | Within the limit |
| Magnesium | Metals | 37 mg/L (Maximum) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Manganese | Metals | 0.61 ug/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Nickel | Metals | 1 ug/L (Average) | System-wide | 100 ug/L (MCLG) | Within the limit |
| Selenium | Metals | 2.3 ug/L (Average) | System-wide | 50 ug/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Sodium | Metals | 112 mg/L (Maximum) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Zinc | Metals | 0.056 mg/L (Maximum) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Total Coliform | Microbial | 0.2 % (Average) | System-wide | 5 % (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Alkalinity | Physical & aggregate | 250 mg/L (Maximum) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| pH | Physical & aggregate | 8.2 (Maximum) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Temperature | Physical & aggregate | 91 (Maximum) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| TOC | Physical & aggregate | 4.1 mg/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Total Dissolved Solids | Physical & aggregate | 710 mg/L (Maximum) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Turbidity | Physical & aggregate | 0.3 NTU (Reported level) | System-wide | 1 NTU (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Gross Alpha | Radionuclides | 0.5 pCi/L (Average) | System-wide | 15 pCi/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Uranium | Radionuclides | 4.2 ug/L (Average) | System-wide | 30 ug/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.
- **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.
- **Bromide** — A naturally occurring salt found in source water. Not directly regulated, but a precursor that increases formation of brominated disinfection byproducts.
- **Chloride** — A naturally occurring salt compound. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; high levels cause a salty taste and can corrode pipes.
- **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.
- **Sulfate** — A naturally occurring mineral from rock and soil. No health-based federal limit; high levels can have a laxative effect and a bitter taste.
- **Aluminum** — A common element sometimes used as a treatment coagulant. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; high levels can discolor water.
- **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.
- **Calcium** — A naturally occurring mineral that contributes to water hardness. Not federally regulated for health; affects scaling and taste.
- **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.
- **Germanium** — A trace metalloid found in some source water. Not federally regulated; monitored occasionally as a trace element.
- **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.
- **Magnesium** — A naturally occurring mineral that contributes to water hardness. Not federally regulated for health; affects scaling and taste.
- **Manganese** — A naturally occurring metal from soil and rock. No enforceable federal limit; high levels stain fixtures and laundry and can affect taste, with a health advisory for infants.
- **Nickel** — A metal from natural deposits and industrial discharge. Long-term exposure can cause skin and other effects; monitored under EPA rules.
- **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.
- **Zinc** — A naturally occurring metal that can also enter water from corroding pipes. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; high levels cause a metallic taste.
- **Total Coliform** — A group of bacteria used as an indicator of overall water-system sanitation. Coliforms themselves are usually harmless, but their presence signals that disease-causing organisms could enter the system.
- **Alkalinity** — A measure of the water's capacity to neutralize acids. Not federally regulated for health; relevant to corrosion control and treatment.
- **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.
- **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.

## 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._