Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in Salt Lake City, UT tap water
53 contaminants were measured in the Salt Lake City, UT water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit — 3 sit at or above that limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 53
- Over federal limit
- 3
- Approaching the limit
- 1
- Worst contaminant
- Iron
- Service area
- UT
556.7× the limit
state-level CCR
At or above the federal limit
Approaching the limit (≥ 80%)
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
1 PFAS compound detected in Salt Lake City, UT
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.
Lithium
● Detected (no federal limit)Measured 54.2 mg/LSample year 2023Samples 10 detect / 12
near national p90 (76.59999999999991 mg/L across detecting U.S. systems)
PWSID UTAH06019 · Source: EPA UCMR5. Limits per EPA's April 2024 PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation. PFAS values reported in nanograms per liter (ng/L) — note that 1 ng/L = 1 part per trillion.
Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Salt Lake City, UT's drinking water comes from ground water, drawn from 3 sources.
Source
3ground water
- 1900 S 1100 W WELL
- HONEY WELL
- 1100 N 100 E WELL
Treatment
4treatment plants
- 1900 S 1100 W WL CHLORINATOR
- HONEY WELL CHLORINATOR
- 80 E 1100 N WELL CHLORINATOR
- + 1 more
Distribution
12storage units
Also buys water from WEBER BASIN WCD - SOUTH.
Source: EPA SDWIS facilities inventory. Methodology.
Historical readings · EPA Six-Year Review (2012–2019)
2 contaminants historically over EPA limits in Salt Lake City, UT
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
GROSS BETA worst: 2013 | 24 mrem/yr 6.0× | 4 mrem/yr | '13'16'19 |
PCE worst: 2015 | 0.0051 mg/L 1.0× | 0.005 mg/L | '13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
TTHM worst: 2019 | 0.0729 mg/L 91% | 0.08 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
HAA5 worst: 2019 | 0.0429 mg/L within | 0.06 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
NITRATE worst: 2014 | 5.6 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
GROSS ALPHA worst: 2019 | 5.3 pCi/L within | 15 pCi/L | '13'16'19 |
ARSENIC worst: 2013 | 0.0024 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.01 mg/L | '13'16'19 |
RADIUM 226 228 worst: 2013 | 1.07 pCi/L within below national p90 | 5 pCi/L | '13'19 |
CYANIDE worst: 2013 | 0.021 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.2 mg/L | '13'16 |
MERCURY worst: 2013 | 0.0002 mg/L within | 0.002 mg/L | '13 |
BARIUM worst: 2013 | 0.159 mg/L within near national p90 | 2 mg/L | '13'16'19 |
FLUORIDE worst: 2013 | 0.2 mg/L within | 4 mg/L | '13'19 |
SELENIUM worst: 2016 | 0.0025 mg/L within | 0.05 mg/L | '13'16'19 |
COPPER worst: 2012 | 0.584 mg/L near national p90 | — | '12'15'18 |
LEAD worst: 2012 | 0.0228 mg/L | — | '12'15'18 |
DBAA worst: 2012 | 0.0046 mg/L | — | '12'13'16'17'18'19 |
DCAA worst: 2012 | 0.004 mg/L | — | '12'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
MCAA worst: 2016 | 0.016 mg/L | — | '16 |
TCAA worst: 2012 | 0.004 mg/L | — | '12'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
BROMODICHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.0097 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
BROMOFORM worst: 2012 | 0.0123 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
CHLOROFORM worst: 2012 | 0.0125 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
DIBROMOCHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.0073 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
PWSID UTAH06019 · Source: EPA Six-Year Review 4 (2012–2019). Values are the highest detection in each calendar year; non-detect years are omitted. Year tags above show every year with a detection.
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| IronA naturally occurring metal common in groundwater. | 167Reported levelMWDSLS Point of the Mountain WTP | 0.3MCL | At or above the limit |
+By source (7)— MWDSLS Point of the Mountain WTP, MWDSLS Little Cottonwood, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD) +4 more
| |||
| AluminumA common element sometimes used as a treatment coagulant. | 14.2Reported levelMWDSLS Point of the Mountain WTP | 0.05MCL | At or above the limit |
+By source (7)— MWDSLS Point of the Mountain WTP, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD), Salt Lake City Wells +4 more
| |||
| ManganeseA naturally occurring metal from soil and rock. | 2.4Reported levelJordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD) | 50MCL | Within the limit |
+By source (7)— Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD), Salt Lake City Wells, Big Cottonwood WTP +4 more
| |||
| Chromium, TotalTotal chromium — the sum of all chromium forms, from natural deposits and industrial discharge. | 4.7Reported levelMWDSLS Point of the Mountain WTP | 100MCL | Within the limit |
+By source (7)— MWDSLS Point of the Mountain WTP, MWDSLS Little Cottonwood, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD) +4 more
| |||
| NickelA metal from natural deposits and industrial discharge. | 2.35Reported levelMWDSLS Little Cottonwood | 100MCL | Within the limit |
+By source (7)— MWDSLS Little Cottonwood, MWDSLS Point of the Mountain WTP, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD) +4 more
| |||
| ZincA naturally occurring metal that can also enter water from corroding pipes. | 0.08Reported levelJordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD) | 5MCL | Within the limit |
+By source (7)— Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD), Salt Lake City Wells, Parleys WTP +4 more
| |||
| Thallium | 0.00002Reported levelJordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD) | 2MCL | Within the limit |
+By source (7)— Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD), MWDSLS Little Cottonwood, Big Cottonwood WTP +4 more
| |||
| BoronA naturally occurring element from rock and soil. | 35Reported levelJordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD) | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| CalciumA naturally occurring mineral that contributes to water hardness. | 42.2–150RangeSalt Lake City Wells | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
+By source (5)— Salt Lake City Wells, Parleys WTP, City Creek WTP +2 more
| |||
| MagnesiumA naturally occurring mineral that contributes to water hardness. | 45.9RangeSalt Lake City Wells | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
+By source (5)— Salt Lake City Wells, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD), City Creek WTP +2 more
| |||
| PotassiumA naturally occurring mineral from rock and soil. | 1.1–3.5RangeSalt Lake City Wells | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
+By source (5)— Salt Lake City Wells, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD), Parleys WTP +2 more
| |||
| SodiumA naturally occurring salt component. | 11.4–72.5RangeSalt Lake City Wells | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
+By source (7)— Salt Lake City Wells, Parleys WTP, Big Cottonwood WTP +4 more
| |||
| Vanadium | 1.4Reported levelJordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD) | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
+By source (7)— Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD), MWDSLS Point of the Mountain WTP, MWDSLS Little Cottonwood +4 more
| |||
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pHA measure of how acidic or basic the water is. | 7.1–8.1RangeSalt Lake City Wells | 6.5MCL | At or above the limit |
+By source (7)— Salt Lake City Wells, City Creek WTP, Big Cottonwood WTP +4 more
| |||
| Total Dissolved SolidsTotal dissolved solids — the combined content of all dissolved minerals and salts. | 244–888RangeSalt Lake City Wells | 2000MCL | Within the limit |
+By source (7)— Salt Lake City Wells, Parleys WTP, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD) +4 more
| |||
| AlkalinityA measure of the water's capacity to neutralize acids. | 113–262RangeSalt Lake City Wells | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
+By source (7)— Salt Lake City Wells, City Creek WTP, Parleys WTP +4 more
| |||
| Bicarbonate | 113–262RangeSalt Lake City Wells | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
+By source (5)— Salt Lake City Wells, City Creek WTP, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD) +2 more
| |||
| ColorA measure of visible tint in the water. | 4.2Reported levelJordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD) | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| HardnessA measure of dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals. | 167–538RangeSalt Lake City Wells | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
+By source (7)— Salt Lake City Wells, City Creek WTP, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD) +4 more
| |||
| Specific ConductanceA measure of how well water conducts electricity, which tracks dissolved mineral content. | 387–1509RangeSalt Lake City Wells | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
+By source (6)— Salt Lake City Wells, Parleys WTP, MWDSLS Point of the Mountain WTP +3 more
| |||
| TOCTotal organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water. | 2.18Reported levelCol6 | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. | 0.1–6.72RangeSalt Lake City Wells | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
+By source (7)— Salt Lake City Wells, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD), Parleys WTP +4 more
| |||
Inorganic chemicals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorideA naturally occurring salt compound. | 17.9–222RangeSalt Lake City Wells | 250MCL | Approaching the limit |
+By source (7)— Salt Lake City Wells, Parleys WTP, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD) +4 more
| |||
| SulfateA naturally occurring mineral from rock and soil. | 30.5–291RangeSalt Lake City Wells | 1000MCL | Within the limit |
+By source (7)— Salt Lake City Wells, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD), MWDSLS Little Cottonwood +4 more
| |||
| NitriteA compound from fertilizer runoff, sewage, and erosion of natural deposits. | 0–0.1RangeSalt Lake City Wells | 1MCL | Within the limit |
+By source (7)— Salt Lake City Wells, City Creek WTP, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD) +4 more
| |||
| Ammonia | 0.3Reported levelJordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD) | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
+By source (5)— Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD), Parleys WTP, City Creek WTP +2 more
| |||
| BromideA naturally occurring salt found in source water. | 0–90RangeSalt Lake City Wells | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
+By source (7)— Salt Lake City Wells, Big Cottonwood WTP, MWDSLS Little Cottonwood +4 more
| |||
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. | 0.92AverageMWDSLS Little Cottonwood | 4MCL | Within the limit |
+By source (4)— Slc, MWDSLS Little Cottonwood, MWDSLS Point of the Mountain WTP +1 more
| |||
Disinfection byproducts
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| BromateA disinfection byproduct formed when bromide-containing water is treated with ozone. | Not detectedAverageMWDSLS Little Cottonwood | None set | None detected |
+By source (3)— MWDSLS Little Cottonwood, MWDSLS Point of the Mountain WTP, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD)
| |||
| Chlorite | 0.38AverageJordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD) | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Microbial
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Escherichia coli (E. coli)Escherichia coli — bacteria found in the gut of humans and animals. | 0 %MaximumDistribution | 0 %MCL | None detected |
| Total ColiformA group of bacteria used as an indicator of overall water-system sanitation. | 0.65 %MaximumDistribution | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorohexanesulfonic acidPerfluorohexanesulfonic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical.' | 1.2 ng/LAverageSLC Range | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perfluorohexanoic acidPerfluorohexanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' | 0.38 ng/LAverageSLC Range | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perfluoropentanoic acidPerfluoropentanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' | 0.4 ng/LAverageSLC Range | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| PFOSPerfluorooctanesulfonic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical' once used in firefighting foam and coatings. | 0.47 ng/LAverageSLC Range | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Radionuclides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combined RadiumCombined radium-226 and radium-228 — naturally occurring radioactive elements. | 0.53–3.1 pCi/LRangeCol4 | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Source: Salt Lake City, UT's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. utility is required to publish. The numbers on this page are the utility's own. A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
People also ask about Salt Lake City, UT's water
+Is Salt Lake City, UT tap water safe to drink in 2024?
The 2024 Consumer Confidence Report for the Salt Lake City, UT water utility lists 3 contaminants at or above the federal limit: Iron, Aluminum, and pH. 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 Salt Lake City, UT tap water?
53 contaminants were measured in Salt Lake City, UT's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning metals, physical & aggregate, and inorganic chemicals. 25 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 Salt Lake City, UT tap water?
3 contaminants in Salt Lake City, UT's 2024 report sit at or above the federal limit: Iron (556.7× the limit); Aluminum (284.0× the limit); pH (1.2× 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 Salt Lake City, UT tap water?
The contaminant with the highest measured value relative to its federal limit in the 2024 report is Iron, at 556.7× the federal threshold. It belongs to the metals family of contaminants.
+Are any contaminants in Salt Lake City, UT tap water approaching the federal limit?
One contaminant is between 80% and 100% of the federal limit in this report: Chloride. Approaching means measured but not in violation — a margin that can close quickly if conditions change.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Salt Lake City, UT'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 Salt Lake City, UT'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.