Kansas City, MO Water Quality Report
Is Kansas City tap water safe? See PFAS and lead contamination levels for Kansas City, Missouri. Compare to EPA limits and get filter recommendations.
Quick Answers
Is Kansas City tap water safe to drink? Kansas City tap water meets most federal EPA limits, but PFAS compounds have been detected at an average of 34.97 ppt across 2 compounds. A certified pitcher filter or reverse osmosis system is recommended for sensitive populations.
What contaminants are in Kansas City water? Top PFAS compounds detected in Kansas City water: lithium (58.6 ppt), PFBA (0.01 ppt). See the full table for all monitored contaminants and comparison to EPA limits.
What filter should I use in Kansas City? Reverse osmosis removes 90%+ of PFAS, lead, and arsenic. NSF-53 certified pitcher and faucet filters (ZeroWater, Clearly Filtered, LifeStraw) work for smaller households. Skip standard Brita filters for PFAS removal.
Kansas City Water Quality Summary
EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in Kansas City drinking water. Recent monitoring found a peak level of 58.6 ppt across 1 water system, representing an average of 34.97 ppt across 2 detected compounds.
Contamination Level: MODERATE – Moderate contamination – PFAS detected at meaningful levels; filtration recommended.
Top Detected Compounds
- lithium: 58.6 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
- PFBA: 0.01 ppt
Lead in Kansas City Water
EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing has recorded 5 lead samples for Kansas City water systems, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.003 mg/L (within the EPA 0.015 mg/L action level). There is no safe level of lead for children; if your home was built before 1986, a certified NSF/ANSI 53 lead-removal filter is recommended.
EPA Violations in Kansas City
Kansas City public water systems have 1 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violation on record, including Selenium. Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded its federal limit or required treatment was not applied.
About the Data
These figures come from the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5 (UCMR5) testing program, 2023-2025. UCMR5 is the most comprehensive national drinking water survey in US history, covering 66,000+ public water systems. Population of Kansas City: approximately 508,090.
ZIP Codes Served
Compare Kansas City to Other Cities
Side-by-side PFAS contamination comparisons with same-state, regional, and national peers.
What Kansas City Residents Should Do
- Enter your exact ZIP code at knowyourexposure.com for address-level data
- Install an NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis filter (removes 94-99% of PFAS)
- If you're in a high-exposure group (pregnant, young children), consider a PFAS home test kit
- Review your utility's Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) annually