Drinking water quality · 2024
What's in Tucson, AZ tap water
16 contaminants were measured in the Tucson, AZ 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
- AZ
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
1 PFAS compound detected in Tucson, AZ
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.
PFBA
● Detected (no federal limit)Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Tucson, AZ's drinking water comes from ground water, drawn from 155 sources.
Source
- WL-55-238241 - C-120B
- WL-55-235179
- WL-55-236265 - C-117B
- WL-55-513567 - D-065A
- + 151 more
Treatment
- TP212 - CL2
- TP214 - CL2
- TP203 - CL2
- + 122 more
Distribution
Also buys water from MARANA MUNICIPAL - PICTURE ROCKS.
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.
- Maximum contaminant level exceededHealth-based1 violation on record · most recent Nov 1980resolved
- Other1 violation on recordresolved
Source: EPA SDWIS / ECHO. View the full federal record on EPA ECHO ↗
Inorganic chemicals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| NitrateA compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits. | 7.2 mg/LHighest single sampleSample Result | 10 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
| FluorideA mineral often added to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay. | 0.59 mg/LHighest single sampleSample Result | 4 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ArsenicA naturally occurring element that also enters water from industry and agriculture. | 6.64 ug/LHighest single sampleSample Result | None set | Within the limit |
| CopperA metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. | 0.135 mg/L90th percentileAt the tap | 1.3 mg/LAction level | Within the limit |
| BariumA metal from erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge. | 0.09 mg/LHighest single sampleSample Result | 2 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
| LeadA toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. | 0.65 ug/L90th percentileAt the tap | None set | Within the limit |
| LithiumA naturally occurring element found in some groundwater. | 15.9 ug/LAverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| SodiumA naturally occurring salt component. | 40.8 mg/LHighest single sampleSample Result | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Radionuclides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combined RadiumCombined radium-226 and radium-228 — naturally occurring radioactive elements. | 2.5 pCi/LMaximumSample Result | 5 pCi/LMCL | Within the limit |
| UraniumA naturally occurring radioactive metal from erosion of natural deposits. | 15 ug/LMaximumSample Result | 30 ug/LMCL | Within the limit |
| Gross AlphaGross alpha particle activity — a combined measure of alpha-emitting radioactive substances. | 3.9 pCi/LMaximumSample Result | 15 pCi/LMCL | 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. | 3.1–39.3 ug/LRangeSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
| HAA5Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter. | 0–3.2 ug/LRangeSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. | 1 mg/LAverageAnnual | 4 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
VOCs & pesticides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TrichloroethyleneAn industrial solvent (TCE) used in metal degreasing. | 1.16 ug/LMaximumSample Result | 5 ug/LMCL | Within the limit |
| AtrazineA widely used agricultural herbicide that reaches water through runoff. | 0.11 ug/LMaximumSample Result | None set | Within the limit |
People also ask about Tucson, AZ's water
+Is Tucson, AZ tap water safe to drink in 2024?
Every one of the 16 contaminants measured in Tucson, AZ'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 Tucson, AZ tap water?
16 contaminants were measured in Tucson, AZ's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning metals, radionuclides, and disinfection byproducts. 9 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 Tucson, AZ'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 Tucson, AZ'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.